The United States has confiscated a plane belonging to Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, asserting that its acquisition violated U.S. sanctions and other criminal laws. The aircraft, described as Venezuela’s equivalent to Air Force One, was flown to Florida on Monday after being seized in the Dominican Republic, marking a new chapter in the strained relations between the U.S. and Venezuela. U.S. officials, who consider the plane’s purchase and export to Venezuela illegal, view this as a strong message against corrupt practices by Maduro’s government. The U.S. Department of Justice claims the $13 million Dassault Falcon 900EX was bought through a shell company in Florida and used primarily for Maduro’s international travels.
This seizure is part of broader U.S. efforts to disrupt financial flows to Venezuela’s regime, amid ongoing investigations into alleged corruption and criminal activities involving Venezuelan officials.