The government of U.S. President Donald Trump plans to seize a second aircraft belonging to Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro. Currently, this aircraft is located in the Dominican Republic. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is set to announce the seizure this Thursday during a visit to Santo Domingo, the final stop on his five-nation tour of Central America, according to U.S. official sources and a document from the State Department obtained by The Associated Press.
The execution of the seizure required Rubio to sign a request for the exemption of the freeze on foreign aid to cover over $230,000 in storage and maintenance fees. This action follows the seizure of another Maduro aircraft in the Dominican Republic in September 2024, for alleged illicit activities related to associates of the Venezuelan leader.
Regarding Secretary Rubio's tour of Central America, at his first stop in Panama, it was announced that U.S. warships will be able to transit the Panama Canal without paying tolls, in an agreement that had been previously outlined. The tolls had been a point of contention in the relations between the United States and Panama, but an agreement was finally reached that will allow for millions in savings for the U.S. government.
The aircraft in question is a Dassault Falcon 200 used by Maduro, his vice president, and other high officials to travel to various countries, including Greece, Turkey, Russia, and Cuba. These trips are considered by the Trump administration as violations of sanctions imposed by Washington. The seizure of this aircraft occurs shortly after the visit of Richard Grenell, Trump’s special envoy, to Caracas to discuss cooperation and the repatriation of Venezuelan citizens who entered the United States illegally.
The request for an exemption to carry out the aircraft seizure has been approved by the Department of Justice, and an official announcement is expected to be made by Rubio during his visit to the Dominican Republic.
