Venezuela calls US seizure of government plane 'brazen theft'

The US says the Venezuelan aircraft was involved in violations of US export control and sanctions laws.

British Broadcasting CorporationWatch LiveHomeNewsSportBusinessInnovationCultureArtsTravelEarthVideoLiveHomeNewsIsrael-Gaza WarWar in UkraineUS & CanadaUKUK PoliticsEnglandN. IrelandN. Ireland PoliticsScotlandScotland PoliticsWalesWales PoliticsAfricaAsiaChinaIndiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastIn PicturesBBC InDepthBBC VerifySportBusinessExecutive LoungeTechnology of BusinessFuture of BusinessInnovationTechnologyScience & HealthArtificial IntelligenceAI v the MindCultureFilm & TVMusicArt & DesignStyleBooksEntertainment NewsArtsArts in MotionTravelDestinationsAfricaAntarcticaAsiaAustralia and PacificCaribbean & BermudaCentral AmericaEuropeMiddle EastNorth AmericaSouth AmericaWorld’s TableCulture & ExperiencesAdventuresThe SpeciaListEarthNatural WondersWeather & ScienceClimate SolutionsSustainable BusinessGreen LivingVideoLiveLive NewsLive SportHomeNewsSportBusinessInnovationCultureArtsTravelEarthVideoLiveAudioWeatherNewslettersVenezuela calls US seizure of plane 'brazen theft'22 hours agoEmily McGarveyBBC NewsReutersA "seized" sign was placed on a Venezuelan government airplaneVenezuela has accused the US of "brazen theft" after seizing one of its government aircraft in the Dominican Republic.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio oversaw the seizure of the plane on Thursday - the second Venezuelan plane the US has confiscated in the Caribbean country in less than a year.

US authorities said there were legal grounds for the seizure, "based on violations of US sanctions, export controls, and money laundering". The Venezuelan foreign ministry called Rubio "an aircraft thief".

The US has long imposed a variety of sanctions on Venezuela in response to what it describes as criminality, corruption and repression under the South American nation's leader, Nicolás Maduro.

Most recently, it placed financial sanctions on a raft of Venezuelan officials in response to the outcome of a presidential election last year, which saw Maduro re-elected. The US, among others, has contested the official results, which the opposition says were doctored in Maduro's favour.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c1jg221w6p8o

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