Venezuelan Plane Seized by DOJ in Florida, Pressure Increases for More Sanctions

The US Department of Justice (DOJ) announced it had successfully seized a Venezuelan Boeing 747 originally owned by Iran and subsequently sold to the former. 

The plane was sold by Mahan Air, an Iranian airline with links to Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs), to Transporte Aéreocargo del Sur, S.A. (EMTRASUR), a Venezuelan cargo airline.

According to DOJ officials, Mahan is known to transport weapons and fighters for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and Hezbollah.

Consequently, the sale of the airplane to Venezuela violated US export restrictions. 

Javier Millei’s Argentina was pivotal in executing the US’s seizure of the Venezuelan plane, as the plane was previously detained by Argentine law enforcement. 

Per the DOJ, in July, 2022, the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia issued a seizure warrant for the aircraft, which Argentine authorities promptly enforced. 

US Representative Maria-Elvira Salazar (R-FL) welcomed the news and thanked President Milei, claiming Argentina’s role “demonstrates Milei's commitment in the fight against terrorism.”

Lawmakers have been insisting the US must increase its efforts to counter Venezuelan Dictator Nicolas Maduro’s undemocratic practices. 

 In October of last year, the Biden Administration lifted sanctions on Venezuela’s oil and gold sectors in exchange for assurances the country would be committed to holding fair elections.

As Maduro jailed opposition figures and barred Maria Corina Machado from running for office, the Administration reimposed gold sanctions and announced it would renew the oil and gas sanctions relief provided, which expires on April 18.

Just this week, after Machado appeared at a House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee hearing on the fight for freedom in Venezuela, Machado’s team was attacked.

Venezuelan activist Rocio San Miguel and five of her family members were kidnapped last Friday. 

News of San Miguel’s disappearance prompted renewed calls for President Joe Biden to adopt a tougher stance against Venezuela. 

“While the Biden admin continues to give excuses, extensions and concessions to Nicolas Maduro and his genocidal regime, they keep killing, persecuting and attacking their own people and putting the national security of the U.S. and stability of the region at risk,” said Senator Rick Scott (R-FL). 

The White House has argued sanctions are not "advancing the situation".

Conservative lawmakers have intensively pressured Biden to speedily sanction Venezuela to prevent Maduro from further enriching himself at the expense of the Venezuelan people.

During the Foreign Affairs hearing, Salazar claimed the Biden administration has a "huge role to play in supporting (Machado) and forcing the regime to play by the rules that they committed to."