The aircraft belonging to Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, which was seized by US authorities on Monday, made a stop in St. Vincent in April 2023, and the opposition leader wants answers.
Data from the Flightradar24 website appears to show that the plane flew to the Venezuelan capital Caracas after arriving in Kingstown, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, in April 2023, according to the BBC.
On Tuesday, Leader of the Opposition, Godwin Friday, spoke on Hot97, saying he wants answers as to why the aircraft had made a stop in St. Vincent.
US officials said it subsequently flew “almost exclusively to and from a military base in Venezuela.” It is unclear how and when the plane arrived in the Dominican Republic.
The BBC report stated that US officials seized the plane due to suspected violations of US export control and sanctions laws.
They added that an investigation found that people affiliated with Mr. Maduro had allegedly used a Caribbean-based shell company to hide their involvement in the plane’s illegal purchase from a company based in Florida in late 2022 and early 2023.
Venezuela has denounced the seizure, saying that it amounted to an act of “piracy.”.
Foreign Minister Yván Gil said the US had justified itself “with the coercive measures that they unilaterally and illegally impose around the world.”.
In a statement, the Venezuelan government said it “reserves the right to take any legal action to repair this damage to the nation.”.
The US says the seized Falcon 900EX aeroplane was bought illegally for $13 million (£9.8 million) and smuggled out of the United States.
