In a significant move, the United States has seized a plane belonging to Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, asserting that it was acquired illegally for $13 million and smuggled out of the country. According to the US Justice Department, the Falcon 900EX aircraft was confiscated in the Dominican Republic and then transferred to Florida. The specific details of how and when the plane ended up in the Dominican Republic remain unclear.

Tracking data revealed that the aircraft departed from La Isabela airport near the capital city of Santo Domingo on Monday. It subsequently arrived at Fort Lauderdale airport in Florida shortly after. Notably, there has been no immediate comment from either President Maduro or Venezuela's government regarding this matter.

US authorities have stated that the plane was seized due to suspected violations of US export control and sanctions laws. An investigation conducted by US officials uncovered alleged actions by individuals associated with President Maduro. These individuals purportedly used a Caribbean-based shell company to conceal their involvement in the illicit purchase of the plane from a company based in Florida between late 2022 and early 2023. Subsequently, the aircraft was illegally exported from the United States to Venezuela through the Caribbean in April 2023.

It is anticipated that the argument presented by US officials, claiming that the plane's sale and export infringed upon US sanctions, may not carry much weight with President Maduro. The Venezuelan leader has repeatedly accused the US of meddling in his country's internal affairs.

A spokesperson from the White House national security council stated that this action represents a significant step to hold Maduro accountable for his mismanagement of Venezuela. Markenzy Lapointe, US attorney for the Southern District of Florida, commended the invaluable assistance provided by Dominican Republic authorities in organizing the seizure.

Matthew S Axelrod from the Department of Commerce, one of the federal agencies involved in the operation, emphasized their determination to identify and reclaim any aircraft that has been illegally smuggled out of the United States. Axelrod stated, "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 data obtained from the Flightradar24 website, the plane was seemingly flown to the Venezuelan capital, Caracas, after arriving in Kingston, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, in April 2023. US officials have revealed that it subsequently flew predominantly to and from a military base in Venezuela.

The circumstances surrounding how and when the plane arrived in the Dominican Republic are still unclear. However, US officials confirmed that the jet had been utilized by President Maduro during visits to other countries. It is worth noting that in late July, the Venezuelan government temporarily suspended commercial flights to both the Dominican Republic and Panama following Maduro's controversial re-election.

Venezuela's opposition released polling data indicating that their unity candidate, Edmundo González, emerged as the clear victor. Yet, the electoral council, loyal to President Maduro, has refrained from acknowledging González's win. The European Union refrained from recognizing Maduro's re-election in July without access to voting results, while several Latin American countries have withheld their support, calling for transparency from the Venezuelan government. However, the US has recognized Edmundo González as the rightful winner, citing "overwhelming" evidence of Maduro's defeat.

This is not the first time that Mr. Maduro or Venezuela's government has faced scrutiny from US federal authorities over allegations of corruption. In 2020, the Justice Department charged Maduro and 14 Venezuelan officials with narco-terrorism, corruption, and drug trafficking. The State Department has also offered a reward of up to $15 million for any information leading to Maduro's arrest or conviction.

Overall, the seizure of President Maduro's plane marks another significant development in the ongoing tensions between the US and Venezuela, with both nations continuing to pursue opposing narratives amidst a backdrop of political and diplomatic challenges.

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