The Trump administration is set to seize a second plane belonging to Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro’s government, currently located in the Dominican Republic. The announcement of the seizure is expected to be made by Secretary of State Marco Rubio during his visit to Santo Domingo, the final stop of his Central America tour. The plane in question, a Dassault Falcon 200, has been utilized by Maduro and his top aides for international travel, allegedly in violation of U.S. sanctions.
To carry out the seizure, Rubio had to approve a foreign aid freeze waiver request to cover over $230,000 in storage and maintenance fees. The Department of Justice also had to give its approval for the operation. The waiver request was submitted and approved, with Rubio anticipated to make the announcement during a scheduled law enforcement engagement.
