By Ragheema Mclean
On Monday, United States authorities announced the seizure of a $13 million aircraft, the Dassault Falcon 900EX, in the Dominican Republic.
The plane, allegedly used by Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, was confiscated and transported to Florida. Maduro was not on board at the time of the seizure.
According to US Attorney General Merrick Garland, the aircraft was purchased through a shell company and smuggled out of the US for use by Maduro and his associates, in violation of sanctions.
“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,” Garland said in a statement.
This action comes as the US increases its pressure on Maduro’s government following disputed elections in July.
Speaking on VOC’s PM Drive show, international relations expert Donovan Williams criticized the US stance, suggesting that the actions are driven by a desire to control Venezuela’s key resources, such as oil and lithium.
Williams argued that there is no concrete evidence of election rigging and said that US interference in Venezuela’s internal affairs is rooted in geopolitical interests rather than genuine concerns about democracy.
“The US wants a coup in Venezuela,” Williams said.
“They have no evidence of election rigging, and even the independent observers have not reported such issues. The US’s involvement is more about controlling Venezuela’s resources and asserting dominance.”
“For the US – if they do not control a country, then that country is an enemy.”
Listen to the full interview below:
VOC NEWS
Photo: @NicolasMaduro/X
