The United States has seized a Venezuelan presidential jet used by Nicolas Maduro in what it says is a violation of American sanctions.
The plane flew to Florida from the Dominican Republic, where it had been based in recent months, according to US officials.
It came as Venezuela’s attorney general requested an arrest warrant on Monday Edmundo GonzalezThe opposition leader, accusing him of sedition and other offences.
The US government is investigating what he claims are corrupt practices Government of VenezuelaAnd says the acquisition of the jet was a violation of US sanctions.
The Justice Department said the plane was illegally purchased and smuggled out of the US through a shell company. Venezuela.
“This sends a message all the way to the top,” one official told CNN. “Seizing a foreign head of state aircraft is not unheard of for criminal matters.
“We are sending a clear message here that no one is above the law, no one is beyond reach US sanctions“
The Venezuelan government said the US actions “cannot be described as anything other than piracy”.
Joe Biden, US President, Agreed to ease sanctions In exchange for Mr. Maduro’s promise to rule Venezuela free and fair Election this yearBut his hopes were dashed after the apparently fraudulent results were revealed and the socialist leader claimed another six-year term in office.
The US has questioned the validity of the results, calling on Mr Maduro’s government to “immediately” release accurate results data and recognize his election opponent Mr Gonzalez as the winner.
A Venezuelan court on Monday granted an arrest warrant for Mr Gonzalez, which the prosecutor’s office said was for “serious crimes”.
The office previously published its request to the court on social media, listing alleged crimes that stem from the opposition’s insistence that Mr Maduro and his allies rigged the July 28 vote.
There is opposition The streets of Caracas were filledThe nation’s capital, in a new bout of protest over the outcome. More than 80 teenagers were arrested in protests after being released the weekend after the election.
The seizure of Mr. Maduro’s plane is the latest incident Years of searching for a strong man By the US Department of Justice, which charged him with narco-terrorism in March 2020, Drug trafficking and corruption.
The State Department has offered a $15 million reward for information leading to his arrest.
Homeland Security Investigations, an American law enforcement agency, has earlier seized dozens of vehicles that were in the process of being shipped from the US to South America.
Mr Maduro’s plane, a Dassault Falcon 900, is the Venezuelan equivalent of the US’s own. Air Force One jet, and is used to transport him and other high-ranking government officials. He has been pictured traveling by plane on official visits around the world.
The US estimates that it is worth about $13 million. He will be seized in the US, where authorities will collect evidence from him while the Venezuelan government applies for his release.
US officials have previously accused members of Mr Maduro’s government of using public money for themselves.
A US official told CNN: “We have these officials and the Maduro regime basically running away from the Venezuelan people for their own benefit,” the US official said.
“You have people who can’t even afford a loaf of bread there and then you have the president of Venezuela flying around in a high-class private jet.”
Merrick Garland, US Attorney General, said: “This morning, the Department of Justice seized an aircraft that we allege was illegally purchased by Shell for $13 million and smuggled out of the United States for use by Nicolás Maduro and his cronies. came
“The Department will continue to pursue those who violate our sanctions and export controls to prevent them from using American resources to undermine the national security of the United States.”
Matthew S. Axelrod, the Commerce Department’s assistant secretary for export enforcement, added: “Let this seizure send a clear message: Aircraft illegally acquired from the United States cannot simply fly off into the sunset for the benefit of sanctioned Venezuelan officials.
“It doesn’t matter how fancy the private jet is or how powerful the authorities — we will work tirelessly with our partners here and around the world to identify and return any aircraft illegally smuggled out of the United States.”
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