The U.S. Seizes Nicolás Maduro's Second Aircraft

The U.S. authorities have seized a second aircraft owned by Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro. The Dassault Falcon 200EX business jet was confiscated at Santo Domingo airport and is soon to be transported to Miami, reports NewsBox.

This marks the second private plane of Venezuela's President Nicolás Maduro to be seized by American authorities. According to CNN, the Dassault Falcon 200EX with registration number YV-3360 had been stored at Santo Domingo airport in the Dominican Republic since April 2023.

An official arrest procedure was carried out on board the aircraft — a warrant was placed on the plane's door in the presence of U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who was in the Dominican Republic for an official visit.

According to the U.S. Department of Justice, the plane was purchased in 2017 by Venezuelan oil company PDVSA from an American entity. However, after the imposition of sanctions on PDVSA, it frequently underwent maintenance using American parts, which violated U.S. export control laws.

The plane will now be transported to Miami, following the precedent set by the seizure and transfer of another of Maduro's business jets by U.S. authorities in September 2023, which was also later relocated to Florida.