US plans to seize Venezuelan president's plane held in Dominican Republic during Rubio visit

[Wicked Blue]

Source: AP via NBC

The Trump administration plans to seize a second plane belonging to Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro ’s government that is currently in the Dominican Republic.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio intends to announce the seizure on Thursday during a visit to Santo Domingo, the last stop of his five-nation tour of Latin America, according to a U.S. official familiar with the matter and a State Department document obtained by The Associated Press.

Carrying out the seizure required that Rubio sign off on a foreign aid freeze waiver request to pay more than $230,000 in storage and maintenance fees. It also required approval by the U.S. Department of Justice.

That waiver request, submitted early last week, has been approved and Rubio is expected to make the announcement at what the State Department has described publicly as only a “law enforcement engagement.”

Read more: https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/national-international/us-plans-to-seize-venezuelan-presidents-plane-held-in-dominican-republic-during-rubio-visit/6138304/

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Um, could this be considered an act of war?

[MichMan]

1. This would be a second plane to go along with one seized last year

The U.S. seized another of Maduro’s planes from the Dominican Republic in September 2024.

At the time, the U.S. Justice Department said Maduro associates in late 2022 and early 2023 used a Caribbean-based shell company to hide their involvement in the purchase of the plane — a Dassault Falcon 900EX valued at $13 million — from a company in Florida.

[James48]

2. Not an act of war. A civil tort.

Sorry.

[snot]

3. How can this possibly be legal???

.

[Skittles]

4. Trump is a multi-felon

THE GOP DOESN'T CARE ABOUT THE RULE OF LAW OR THE CONSTITUTION

[Igel]

5. Previous posts seem to say that Biden did the same thing.

Let's formulate an analogous claim about the Democratic Party and President Biden and get a post or two removed, shall we?

[Skittles]

6. not commenting on the action

just stating that for repukes, legality is NOT AN ISSUE

[maxsolomon]

7. Petty.

Won't change a thing in Venezuela.