The U.S. government has taken control of an aircraft linked to Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro, relocating it from the Dominican Republic to Florida. According to an announcement from the U.S. Justice Department on Monday, the acquisition of the plane was in violation of American sanctions. 

The action signifies ongoing efforts to exert pressure on Maduro both domestically and internationally following a disputed election on July 28, which he asserts to have won. Contrarily, the opposition claims their candidate overwhelmingly beat him, according to their vote counts. 

With Maduro, his close allies, and Venezuela’s crucial oil industry already facing stringent sanctions from the U.S., the controversy surrounding the election could potentially lead to even more severe actions.

In a statement, U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland highlighted that the Dassault Falcon 900EX aircraft, bought illegally through a shell company for $13 million and clandestinely transferred out of the U.S., was intended for the use of Nicolás Maduro and his circle. 

Matthew Axelrod, Assistant Secretary for Export Enforcement at the U.S. Commerce Department, emphasized the significance of the seizure: “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.”

The operation to seize the plane was a collaborative effort with the Dominican Republic, as reported by U.S. authorities and initially disclosed by CNN. The Venezuelan government has yet to make a statement regarding the seizure.

A representative for the White House National Security Council remarked, “This is an important step to ensure that Maduro continues to feel the consequences from his misgovernance of Venezuela.” They further accused Maduro and his team of manipulating the results of the July 28 presidential election, falsely declaring victory, and engaging in extensive repression to cling to power.

Investigations by the Justice Department revealed that individuals linked to Maduro reportedly utilized a shell company based in the Caribbean to hide their involvement in the illegal purchase of the Dassault Falcon 900EX aircraft in late 2022 and early 2023. Once procured, the aircraft was unlawfully shipped from the U.S. to Venezuela via the Caribbean last year. Since then, it has been utilized for flights to and from a Venezuelan military base, serving Maduro and his representatives, including facilitating international trips for Maduro, as stated by the Justice Department.