On Thursday, the U.S. Department of State released a statement on the one month anniversary of the Venezuelan election, calling for "a return to the respect of human rights and democratic norms in Venezuela, the release of all political prisoners, and an end to the arbitrary arrests and other acts of repression against members of the democratic opposition, media and civil society."
Just 4 days later, the Biden administration has decided to apply more pressure on the Maduro regime, by seizing an aircraft used by him for personal and professional reasons, citing violations of U.S. sanctions and other criminal activities, CNN reports.
The aircraft was flown to Florida on Monday from the Dominican Republic, according to two U.S. officials. The seizure is seen as a bold move by U.S. authorities, aimed at sending a strong message to the Venezuelan leadership. As one U.S. official told CNN: "seizing the aircraft of a foreign head of state is a milestone in criminal matters. We are making it clear that no one is above the law, and no one is beyond the reach of U.S. sanctions."
The plane had been located in the Dominican Republic in recent months. U.S. officials, who have not disclosed the specific circumstances leading to the seizure, coordinated closely with Dominican authorities. Upon arrival in the United States, the next step will be to pursue the forfeiture of the aircraft, giving the Venezuelan government an opportunity to contest the seizure.
Earlier this year, the U.S. reimposed sanctions on Venezuela's oil and gas sector in response to the Maduro government's decision to block what was described as an "inclusive and competitive" election.
A detailed look at Maduro's seized aircraft
The seized aircraft, valued at approximately $13 million, is a Dassault Falcon 900EX, a French-built corporate jet, with blue and red stripes and a white body. The plane has been documented previously visiting St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Cuba and Brazil, often with Maduro on board, according to the Miami Herald.
The Herald also did a deep dive into the plane's registration, discovering that it appears to currently be registered in the European republic of San Marino, as the prefix on the airplane's registration, T7, is the nationality mark for aircraft registered in the landlocked microstate within Italy.
The plane's registration in the United States was canceled in January 2023, according to public records from the Federal Aviation Administration, because it was exported to St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Records from the FAA , obtained by The Herald, show that a Florida-based company sold it to an Limited Liability Company there, but the St. Vincent and the Grenadine's company registry records do not appear to have a company by that name. Records also show that the plane was quickly exported to San Marino.
The sale of the plane via a third country could involve a violation of American sanctions on Venezuela. Grenadines's Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves congratulated Maduro on his recent claimed electoral victory. However, it is unclear whether the Caribbean country's government was aware about the sale of the plane.
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