The Trump administration is planning to seize a second aircraft belonging to Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro's government, currently parked in the Dominican Republic. This move, expected to be announced by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio during a visit to Santo Domingo, comes amidst heightened tensions between the U.S. and Venezuela. The aircraft, a Dassault Falcon 200, is alleged to have been used by Maduro and his top officials for international travel, potentially in violation of U.S. sanctions. This seizure follows a recent trip by President Trump's envoy, Richard Grenell, to Caracas, where he met with Maduro and secured the release of six detained Americans.
The Trump administration is poised to seize a second aircraft belonging to Venezuela n President Nicolás Maduro's government, currently located in the Dominican Republic. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is scheduled to announce the seizure on Thursday during a visit to Santo Domingo, marking the final leg of his five-nation tour of Latin America. A U.S. official privy to the matter and a State Department document obtained by The Associated Press confirm the impending action.
The seizure necessitates Rubio's approval of a foreign aid freeze waiver request to cover storage and maintenance fees exceeding $230,000, as well as clearance from the U.S. Department of Justice. This waiver request, submitted early last week, has been approved, and Rubio is expected to unveil the announcement at what the State Department publicly describes as a 'law enforcement engagement.'The targeted aircraft is a Dassault Falcon 200, frequently utilized by Maduro and high-ranking officials, including his vice president and defense minister, for international travel. These journeys have spanned destinations such as Greece, Turkey, Russia, and Cuba, actions Washington contends constitute violations of U.S. sanctions. This seizure follows closely on the heels of President Donald Trump's special missions envoy, Richard Grenell, visiting Caracas last week and meeting with Maduro to discuss the repatriation of Venezuelan nationals who illegally entered the United States. Grenell's mission concluded with the return of six Americans who had been detained in Venezuela.At the time, the U.S. Justice Department asserted that Maduro's associates employed a Caribbean-based shell company in late 2022 and early 2023 to conceal their involvement in the purchase of the plane – a Dassault Falcon 900EX valued at $13 million – from a Florida-based company. In a related development concerning Rubio's initial stop on his trip, the U.S. State Department announced late Wednesday on X that Panamanian authorities had agreed to permit U.S. warships to transit the Panama Canal without charge. However, Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino vehemently refuted this claim, stating Thursday that he had informed U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth the previous day that he lacked the authority to set transit fees or exempt any party from them, expressing astonishment at the U.S. State Department's assertion to the contrary. The fees have been a focal point of President Donald Trump's grievances concerning the canal, which he has threatened to wrest back from Panama unless Panama significantly restricts Chinese influence in the region
NICOLAS MADURO VENEZUELA USA DOMINIICAN REPUBLIC AIRCRAFT SEIZURE SANCTIONS RICHARD GRENELL MARCO RUBIO DASSAULT FALCON 200 INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS POLITICS
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