US seizes Venezuela President Maduro’s jet as arrest warrant issued for opposition leader

Protests have filled the streets of Caracas, the country’s capital, in a fresh bout of opposition to the result. More than 80 teenagers arrested in protests after the election were released over the weekend.

The seizure of Mr Maduro’s plane is the latest incident in a years-long pursuit of the strongman by the US Department of Justice, which charged him in March 2020 with narco-terrorism, drug trafficking and corruption.

The State Department has offered a $15 million reward for information leading to his arrest.

Homeland Security Investigations, an American law enforcement agency, has previously seized dozens of vehicles that were in the process of being shipped to South America from the US.

Mr Maduro’s plane, a Dassault Falcon 900, is the Venezuelan equivalent of the US’s own Air Force One jet, and is used to transport him and other high-ranking government officials. He has been pictured travelling on the plane on official visits around the world.

The US estimates it is worth about $13 million. It will be impounded in the US, where authorities will collect evidence from it while the Venezuelan government petitions for its release.

US officials have previously accused members of Mr Maduro’s government of syphoning off public money for themselves.

The US official told CNN: “We see these officials and the Maduro regime basically fleecing the Venezuelan people for their own gain,” the US official said.

“You have people who can’t even afford a loaf of bread there and then you have the president of Venezuela jetting around in a high-class private jet.”

Merrick Garland, the US Attorney General, said: “This morning, the Justice Department seized an aircraft we allege was illegally purchased for $13 million through a shell company and smuggled out of the United States for use by Nicolás Maduro and his cronies.

“The Department will continue to pursue those who violate our sanctions and export controls to prevent them from using American resources to undermine the national security of the United States.”

Matthew S Axelrod, the Department of Commerce’s assistant secretary for export enforcement, added: “Let this seizure send a clear message: aircraft illegally acquired from the United States for the benefit of sanctioned Venezuelan officials cannot just fly off into the sunset.

“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.”