The United States seized a plane belonging to Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and brought it to the United States on Monday, the Justice Department said in a statement. The plane was exported from Florida in violation of US sanctions.
The aircraft, identified as a Dassault Falcon 900EX, was seized in the Dominican Republic and transported to Florida, the ministry said.
“This morning, the Department of Justice seized an aircraft that we allege was illegally purchased for $13 million through a front company and smuggled out of the United States for use by Nicolás Maduro and his cronies,” said Attorney General Merrick Garland. “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 ministry said Maduro’s associates had agreed to buy the jet for $13 million from a U.S. company in South Florida in late 2022 and early 2023. The plane was shipped to the Caribbean and then to Venezuela, the statement said, violating U.S. sanctions and export controls.
CBS Miami
Since then, the plane has “flown almost exclusively to and from a military base in Venezuela and has been used for the benefit of Maduro and his representatives, including to transport Maduro on visits to other countries,” the ministry said. Online flight records show an aircraft with the corresponding tail number at airports in China, Cuba and Brazil since 2023.
CNN was the first to report on the seizure of Maduro’s plane.
In June, Maduro declared victory in his presidential election, but the US and other countries accused Maduro of rigging the outcome. Last month, the US recognized Maduro’s opponent, the Venezuelan opposition candidate, as Edmundo Gonzalezas the winner, rejecting the Venezuelan government’s statement that Maduro had won.
A National Security Council spokesman said the U.S. was “working to ensure that the will of the Venezuelan people, as expressed in the July 28 elections, is respected,” and called the seizure of the plane “an important step to ensure that Maduro continues to face the consequences of his mismanagement in Venezuela.”
and Robert Legare contributed to this report.
