The US government has confiscated an airplane reportedly used by Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, claiming it violates Washington’s sanctions against Caracas, CNN reported on Monday.
The US has charged Maduro with drug trafficking and refused to recognize his victory in the last two Venezuelan presidential elections.
“Seizing the foreign head of state’s plane is unheard-of for criminal matters. We’re sending a clear message here that no one is above the law, no one is above the reach of US sanctions,” an unnamed Washington official told CNN, which first reported the story on Monday.
According to CNN, the plane is worth around $13 million and was seized in cooperation with Dominican authorities.
What law? There's a law on the books where you can take a plane belonging to a foreign government while it's located in a third country because you don't like them?
The claim is the plane was purchased in the US and then exported to Venezuela in violation of domestic export controls