The United States government confiscated an airplane reportedly utilized by Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro due to allegations that it violates Washington’s sanctions against Caracas, as reported by CNN on Monday. In addition to the seizure, the US has charged Maduro with drug trafficking and refused to recognize his victories in the previous two Venezuelan presidential elections.
An anonymous Washington official informed CNN that “seizing the foreign head of state’s plane is unheard-of for criminal matters.” The official explained that this action aims to convey a clear message, emphasizing that no individual is above the law or exempt from the reach of US sanctions.
The aircraft in question is valued at around $13 million and was seized through collaboration with Dominican authorities. While CNN did not identify the specific airplane, it revealed that it was taken in the Dominican Republic and later transported to Miami, Florida. The departments of Homeland Security, Commerce, and Justice participated in the seizure process.
The Miami Herald identified the jet as a Dassault Falcon 900EX, a French-built corporate aircraft that has previously visited Cuba, Brazil, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines, often with Maduro on board. The plane appears to be registered in San Marino. Records from the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) show that a Florida-based company sold the plane to a company in St. Vincent, which subsequently resold it to San Marino. The US government alleges that the reseller was a Venezuelan shell company and that this transaction violated its sanctions on Venezuela.
US officials described the jet as akin to the US “Air Force One,” noting that Maduro had flown it to various destinations. However, the circumstances surrounding how it ended up in the Dominican Republic remain unclear, as Venezuela suspended commercial air travel with the island following the July 28 presidential election.
CNN further reported that the US intends to confiscate the plane through an asset forfeiture process. This means that theoretically, Venezuela could challenge the seizure in court if they can find a way around the sanctions imposed on them.
This marks the second Venezuelan aircraft seized by the US this year. In February, Argentina sent the US a Boeing 747-300M cargo plane confiscated in 2022 because Caracas had allegedly purchased it from a sanctioned Iranian company. Maduro denounced the seizure as “a blatant theft” by the government of Argentinian President Javier Milei.
According to an unnamed official, Washington has seized approximately $2 billion worth of Venezuelan bank accounts and assets in recent years.