Maduro’s plane seized by the US in the Dominican Republic

USA confiscated Nicolás Maduro’s official plane in the Dominican Republic on Monday, based on the US sanctions against Venezuela, CNN reported exclusively.

According to two US officials, the United States moved the plane to Florida on Monday.

«Seize the plane of the foreign head of state This is unprecedented in criminal matters. “We’re sending a clear message here that no one is above the law, no one is above the reach of US sanctions,” one of the officials told CNN.

There is still no official confirmation about what happened, an alleged seizure that occurred after the United States determined that the acquisition of the aircraft “violated U.S. sanctions, among other criminal matters,” the television network points out.

The plane, whose cost It is estimated at around 13 million dollars, had been in the Dominican Republic in recent months.

U.S. officials did not say why, but “an opportunity” presented itself to seize the aircraft in an operation involving several federal agencies, which worked “closely with the Dominican Republic, which notified Venezuela of the seizure.”

The “Venezuelan equivalent” to Air Force One

Officials described the plane as the Venezuelan equivalent of Air Force One. and they said that the seizure was intended to send “a message to the highest levels” of the Venezuelan government. The aircraft has been photographed during several state visits by Maduro around the world.

For years, the U.S. government has seized dozens of luxury vehicles, among other assets, headed to Venezuela, but never a vehicle of such relevance and symbolism.

In April, the United States partially reversed sanctions relief on Venezuelan oil and gas, accusing Maduro of failing to meet his election commitments by disqualifying the opposition candidate Maria Corina Machado.

Since the Venezuelan elections on July 28, the United States has strongly criticized the Maduro regime.

Last week, State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said the National Electoral Council’s continued refusal to uphold international and Venezuelan standards of transparency It is an “unacceptable violation” of the country’s laws.

His statement, released one month after the July 28 elections in Venezuela, also criticized the attempt by the Supreme Court of Justice, “controlled by (Venezuelan President Nicolás) Maduro, to silence the voices of voters by ratifying the CNE’s unfounded announcement of a Maduro victory.”

In response, The Venezuelan government assured that it “does not owe explanations” to the United States on the alleged re-election of Nicolás Maduro.

According to the government, the US State Department “insists on its despicable position of interfering in matters that are not its concern,” said Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yván Gil.