Venezuela responds to the United States and calls the confiscation of Nicolás Maduro’s official plane ‘piracy’

Venezuela On Monday, he described as “piracy” the confiscation by US authorities of a plane used by the President Nicolas Maduro, according to a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

“Venezuela denounces before the international community that, once again, the authorities of the United States of America, in a repeated criminal practice that cannot be described as anything other than piracy, has illegally confiscated an aircraft that has been used by the President of the Republic“, the text noted.

Caracas, however, said it would reserve the right to take legal action to “repair” the damage caused by the confiscation of the official plane, which was seized in the Dominican Republic by order of the United States authorities, within the framework of the sanctions against it.

Venezuela “reserves the right to take any legal action to repair this damage to the nation, as well as all other damages caused by the criminal policy” of the United States.Maduro’s government said in the statement.

This action (the confiscation) reveals that no State is safe from illegal actions that ignore international law.

According to Washington, the aircraft, which was transferred to the state of Florida for having been “illegally purchased” for 13 million dollars, It is a Dassault Falcon 900EX owned by Maduro and individuals affiliated with him in Venezuela and operated on his behalf.

“This action (the confiscation) reveals that no State is safe from illegal actions that ignore international law. (…) The United States has already demonstrated that it uses its economic and military power to intimidate and pressure states such as the Dominican Republic to become accomplices in its criminal acts,” the statement continued.

For Caracas, “this is not an isolated action,” but rather “part of an escalation of actions against the Government,” after the elections of July 28, whose official result gave victory to Maduro, which has not been recognized by many countries, since the majority opposition denounces fraud and claims victory.

Dominican government says it did not participate in US investigation

Meanwhile, Dominican Foreign Minister Roberto Álvarez said on Monday that His government did not participate in the US investigation that led to the confiscation in Sa
nto Domingo of an aircraft used by Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.

“Neither the Dominican government nor the Public Ministry have participated in the United States investigation process, Only international legal cooperation was required and since the indicated norms were complied with and the respective court orders were obtained, the Public Ministry complied with what was ordered by the courts,” Álvarez told reporters.

“The aircraft was in Dominican territory for maintenance purposes,” he added.

What did the United States find in its investigation?

According to US Attorney General Merrick B. Garland, In late 2022 and early 2023, individuals affiliated with Maduro allegedly used a Caribbean-based shell company to conceal their involvement in the illegal purchase of the aircraft from a company based in the Southern District of Florida.

Then, The aircraft was illegally exported from the United States to Venezuela via the Caribbean in April 2023 and has since 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.”

Garland added that the Department will continue to pursue those who violate sanctions and export controls to prevent them from using U.S. resources. “to undermine the national security of the United States.”