US Seizes Nicolás Maduro's Plane in the Dominican Republic

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Facts

  • US Attorney General Merrick Garland announced on Monday that the US Dept. of Justice (DOJ) seized a Dassault Falcon 900EX aircraft used for the benefit of Venezuela's Nicolás Maduro in the Dominican Republic earlier in the day.[1]
  • This comes as CNN broke the news that the aircraft known as Venezuela's Air Force One — and registered to San Marino — was now in US custody. The plane was flown to Fort Lauderdale, Fla., landing shortly before noon.[2][3][4]
  • According to a press release from the DOJ, the seizure was due to suspected violations of US export control and sanctions laws as Maduro allegedly used a shell company to purchase the aircraft in April 2023.[1][5][6]
  • The private jet used in state visits to Brazil, Cuba, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines was in the Dominican Republic since March for what was presumed to be maintenance.[7][4]
  • Multiple other agencies, including the Homeland Security Investigations and the Bureau of Industry and Security, were involved in the operation that marks the latest escalation in US-Venezuela relations.[8][9]
  • Long-running tensions between Caracas and Washington have further mounted following the disputed July 28 presidential election, with the US putting pressure on Caracas to 'immediately' release total vote tallies.[10][3]

Sources: [1]United States Department of Justice, [2]FOX News, [3]CNN, [4]Associated Press, [5]BBC News, [6]Sputnik International, [7]Guardian, [8]New York Post, [9]TASS and [10]NPR Online News.

Narratives

  • Pro-establishment narrative, as provided by USA Today. This move is part of a maximum pressure campaign on the authoritarian Maduro regime at home and abroad that could soon prompt further sanctions so Maduro feels consequences for rigging the election. Moreover, it delivers a clear message that no one is above the law to illegally acquire an aircraft and smuggle it out of the US.
  • Establishment-critical narrative, as provided by RT. It's hypocritical to claim that this so-called seizure has something to do with the presidential elections in Venezuela, given that the US also stole a Venezuela-owned Boeing 747-300M cargo plane in cooperation with Argentina in February. Additionally, Venezuelan bank accounts and assets worth $2B have been seized in recent years.

Predictions