U.S. Seizes Venezuelan Government Plane in Dominican Republic

The Trump administration cites sanctions violations and export control breaches in its second confiscation of a Venezuelan aircraft within a year.

The seized Dassault Falcon 200EX was used by Venezuelan officials, including Oil Minister Manuel Quevedo, for international travel in alleged violation of U.S. sanctions.
The plane, operated by state-owned oil company PDVSA, was serviced multiple times using U.S. parts, breaching export control laws.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio personally supervised the seizure during his visit to Santo Domingo, marking his first Latin America tour in the role.
The U.S. Justice Department emphasized the move as part of efforts to hold the Maduro regime accountable for sanctions evasion and misuse of state assets.
This marks the second Venezuelan government plane seized by the U.S. in less than a year, following a similar action in September 2024 under the Biden administration.