"Thief!" Venezuela accuses US Secretary of State after plane seizure
Shafaq News/ On Friday, the Venezuelan Foreign Ministry condemned the United States for the seizure of a second Venezuelan aircraft in the Dominican Republic, calling it a "blatant theft" and labeling US Secretary of State Marco Rubio as a "thief."
The ministry denounced the seizure as an act ordered by Secretary Rubio, asserting that his hatred for Venezuela has driven him to commit this public crime in collusion with the Dominican Republic. The ministry claimed this action was proof that Rubio is a criminal disguised as a politician, using his position to plunder Venezuela's assets.
"Rubio's animosity makes him an international criminal capable of violating any law to harm our nation. History will record Marco Rubio as he truly is: a thief and a declared enemy of our people," the statement read. Venezuela vowed to take all necessary measures to denounce this theft and demand the immediate return of its aircraft.
The seizure occurred on Thursday, during Rubio's visit to the Dominican Republic, despite Washington's recent diplomatic outreach to leftist President Nicolas Maduro. Rubio inspected a military airport in Santo Domingo, where the Dominican Attorney General and US law enforcement officials placed a "Seized" notice on a Dassault Falcon 2000 jet bearing the Venezuelan flag.
The Dominican authorities had confiscated the aircraft last year, citing US claims that it violated sanctions imposed on Venezuela. Venezuelan officials had used the jet for travel to Greece, Turkiye, Russia, Nicaragua, and Cuba and had flown it to the Dominican Republic for maintenance, according to the US State Department.
In September, under President Joe Biden, the US seized another Venezuelan government plane in the Dominican Republic that President Maduro used for international trips. President Donald Trump had previously pursued a hardline policy against Venezuela, aiming to unseat Maduro, whose election victory faced international scrutiny.
Last week, Trump's special envoy to Venezuela, Richard Grenell, visited Caracas to meet with Maduro and secure the release of six American detainees. Venezuela stated that the talks were marked by "mutual respect," but Rubio and other US officials reiterated that Washington still does not recognize Maduro as Venezuela's legitimate president.
