Venezuela Reports US Theft of Government Aircraft

September 3, 2024 

Venezuelan government aircraft, a Dassault Falcon 900EX private jet, in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, after being seized by US officials. Photo: AFP.

Caracas (OrinocoTribune.com)—The Venezuelan government, via its Ministry for Foreign Affairs, through a statement, issue a grievance against the authorities of the United States of America. In a practice labeled by Venezuela’s administration as repeated criminal piracy, the US has illegally confiscated, from the Dominican Republic, an aircraft of the Venezuelan government fleet that has been used by President Nicolás Maduro.

The justification for the seizure of the aircraft is based on the more than 930 illegal sanctions that the US has imposed on Venezuela, ignoring international law.

The aircraft, a Dassault Falcon 900EX with registration number T7-ESPERT from San Marino, has mostly been used by Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodríguez for national and international work assignments. President Maduro used it earlier in 2024 for trips to Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Cuba.

The ministry’s statement highlights the role of the United States government in intimidating and pressuring states such as the Dominican Republic, “so that they become accomplices in its criminal acts.”

Just weeks before the US presidential elections, the Biden administration sought to appease right-wing voters in the state of Florida who have been complaining for years of Biden’s purported soft hand in dealing with Venezuela. Many analysts believe that the seizure of the plane was calculated in order to reduce the chances of the Democrats losing this important state that many believe will prefer Republican candidate Donald Trump.

Below is the full unofficial translation of the statement:

The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela denounces, before the international community, that once again, the authorities of the United States of America, in a repeated criminal practice that cannot be described as anything other than piracy, have illegally confiscated an aircraft that has been used by the President of the Republic, justifying themselves with the coercive measures that they unilaterally and illegally impose around the world.

This action reveals that no state and no constitutional government is safe from illegal actions that disregard international law. The United States has already demonstrated that it uses its economic and military power to intimidate and pressure states such as the Dominican Republic to act as accomplices in its criminal acts. This is an example of the supposed “rules-based order,” which, disregarding international law, seeks to establish the law of the strongest, create norms that fit its interests, and execute them with total impunity.

The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela reserves the right to take any legal action to repair this damage to the nation, as well as all other damages caused by the criminal policy of unilateral coercive measures. Venezuela warns that this is not an isolated action. On the contrary, it is part of an escalation of actions against the Bolivarian Government of Venezuela, re-elected by the will of the majority of the Venezuelan people on July 28, and which, faithful to its anti-imperialist and anti-colonialist tradition, will not allow itself to be pressured by any aggression. Venezuela should be respected and continues to firmly defend its dignity and sovereignty.

Caracas, September 2, 2024

Special for Orinoco Tribune by staff