U.S. Seizes Venezuelan President’s Jet, Transfers It to Florida

The United States has seized a Dassault Falcon 900EX, used by Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, in the Dominican Republic and transferred the aircraft to Florida. This action, announced by the U.S. Department of Justice on September 2, 2024, marks a significant escalation in the ongoing tensions between the U.S. and the Maduro regime.

The seizure of the private jet was initiated after allegations surfaced that the aircraft was illegally obtained in the United States and then smuggled out of the country. The Dassault Falcon 900EX, valued at $13 million, was reportedly purchased through a shell company, which is a tactic often used to obscure the true ownership and purpose of assets.

Attorney General Merrick Garland stated, “The Justice Department seized an aircraft we allege was illegally purchased for $13 million through a shell company and smuggled out of the United States for use by Nicolás Maduro and his cronies. 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.”

The U.S. government claims that the aircraft was illicitly exported from the United States to Venezuela via the Caribbean in April 2023. Since May 2023, the jet has reportedly been used to transport President Maduro and his associates on various international trips, raising concerns about its use to facilitate the actions of a regime that the U.S. has long condemned.

Since August 2019, U.S. citizens have been prohibited from engaging in transactions with individuals or entities acting on behalf of the Venezuelan government, particularly those associated with the Maduro regime. This prohibition is part of a broader strategy to apply economic pressure on Venezuela’s leadership, which the U.S. accuses of widespread corruption and human rights abuses.

Assistant Secretary for Export Enforcement Matthew Axelrod of the Department of Commerce emphasized the significance of the seizure, stating, “Let this seizure send a clear message: aircraft illegally acquired from the United States for the benefit of sanctioned Venezuelan officials cannot just fly off into the sunset. It doesn’t matter how fancy the private jet or how powerful the officials – we will work relentlessly with our partners here and across the globe to identify and return any aircraft illegally smuggled outside of the United States.”

According to CNN, the Dominican Republic government was ordered by the U.S. to “immobilize” the plane last May. However, Dominican authorities were reportedly unaware that the jet was linked to the Venezuelan government, as it was registered under an individual’s name. The aircraft was undergoing maintenance at the time, and the Dominican government had no record indicating its connection to President Maduro until the seizure took place.

The Venezuelan government responded with outrage, condemning the U.S. action as an act of “piracy.” In a statement, they said, “Once again, the authorities of the USA, in a recurring criminal practice that could not be labeled anything but piracy, have illegally seized an aircraft that has been used by the president of the Republic, justifying its action in coercive measures that, illegally and unilaterally, they impose around the world.”

This seizure is likely to further strain relations between the U.S. and Venezuela, as the international community watches closely how both nations navigate this latest conflict.