U.S. to seize second Venezuelan plane in Dominican Republic

Santo Domingo.- The U.S. government, under President Donald Trump, plans to seize a second aircraft belonging to Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro’s administration, currently located in the Dominican Republic. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is set to announce the confiscation during his visit to Santo Domingo, marking the final stop on his Central American tour. The operation required Rubio’s approval of a foreign aid freeze waiver to cover over $230,000 in maintenance fees, along with authorization from the Justice Department.

The Dassault Falcon 200, used by Maduro and his top officials for international travel, has been linked to violations of U.S. sanctions. This follows a similar seizure of another Venezuelan aircraft in the Dominican Republic in September 2024. Meanwhile, during Rubio’s earlier stop in Panama, the U.S. secured an agreement allowing its warships to transit the Panama Canal without fees, a move expected to save millions annually.