US Seizes Maduro's Private Jet for "Export Control Violations"

The Reason for Aircraft Seizure Is Smuggling

President Maduro of Venezuela
[Photo by AFP Yonhap News]

The U.S. government has seized a private jet used by Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on grounds of export control violations.

The U.S. Department of Justice announced on the 2nd (local time) that it had confiscated a Dassault Falcon 900EX aircraft that was illegally smuggled to Venezuela. The Department of Justice explained that the aircraft was illegally exported for use by President Maduro and his close associates.

The Department of Justice pointed out that President Maduro's side purchased the aircraft for approximately $13 million from a company in southern Florida between late 2022 and early 2023 and concealed this fact. The aircraft was transferred to Venezuela in April of last year.

According to the Wall Street Journal (WSJ), the aircraft had recently been stationed in the Dominican Republic, located in the North American Caribbean, for maintenance purposes. On that day, the aircraft was moved to Florida, USA. The Dominican Republic is one of the countries that does not recognize President Maduro's third term amid allegations of election fraud.

The Venezuelan Ministry of Foreign Affairs immediately protested the U.S. action on the same day. Foreign Minister Ivan Hill stated in a message posted on his Telegram account, "Once again, U.S. authorities have committed a crime that can only be described as piracy by illegally taking the aircraft used by our president," and argued, "This is merely an attempt to justify coercive measures unilaterally imposed by the United States."

The U.S. government has been imposing economic sanctions on Venezuela for years, citing reasons such as election fraud and political prisoner repression. The Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) has also seized tangible assets, including dozens of luxury vehicles.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.