United States Intends to Confiscate Presidential Aircraft: Venezuela Declines 'Enemy of Humanity' Designation
In the bustling heart of Mexico City, the air buzzes with news. United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio is about to reveal the capture of another jet tied to the Venezuelan presidency, continuing a relentless push against the Nicolás Maduro government.
The plane in question? A Dassault Falcon 200, apparently the rolling office for top Venezuelan officials like President Maduro, Vice-President Delcy Rodríguez, and Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino López. Last year, the US government snatched a Dassault Falcon 900EX, one of Maduro's official birds, sparking an "act of piracy" label from Caracas.
The recent US moves toward Venezuela paint a picture of a Donald Trump administration with mixed signals. Earlier this month, Maduro extended a warm welcome to White House Special Envoy Richard Grenell at the Miraflores Presidential Palace, marking a new chapter in their troubled relationship. Maduro viewed this meeting as a "first step" toward an improvement in bilateral ties.
This friendly overture led to the release of 6 US nationals and an agreement on accepting deportation flights of Venezuelans. Yet, the US cannot ignore the dark cloud hanging over the hearts of more than 600,000 Venezuelans currently residing in the US, as their Temporary Protected Status (TPS) faces revocation. Trump also intends to put an end to various Biden-era parole programs for Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans.
Speculation swirled that Trump may opt for a more business-like approach with Venezuela in his second term, following his initial "maximum pressure" strategy. However, Rubio recently shut down such thoughts, hinting at more aggressive actions to come.
Rubio also had phone chats with former Venezuelan presidential candidate Edmundo González and far-right leader María Corina Machado. Rubio even bestowed the title of "Venezuela's rightful president" upon González.
The capture of the Dassault Falcon 200 comes on the heels of Rubio branding Venezuela, alongside Cuba and Nicaragua, as "enemies of humanity" during an event in Costa Rica. This label was positioned as the cause for the ongoing migration crisis in the hemisphere.
Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel hit back hard, placing the blame for emigration from his country squarely on US coercive measures aiming to promote regime change. "The empire with its expansionist appetite and its futile pretension of governing the world is the enemy of humanity," he fired back.
Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yván Gil shared a similar sentiment, "The only enemies of humanity are those who with their abuse and war machine have sowed misery and chaos for decades throughout half the world."
The Venezuelan government has long accused the US-led unilateral coercive measures as the driving force behind the exodus of Venezuelans. Economic sanctions have been denounced multiple times in multilateral instances, with regional leaders condemning the measures against Venezuela and Cuba for violating international law and negatively impacting target countries.
Both Democratic and Republican administrations in Washington have pursued regime change in all three countries: Venezuela, Cuba, and Nicaragua. Efforts included the financing of opposition groups and affiliated media via the US Agency for International Development (USAID).
The Trump administration has overhauled USAID, moving it under the purview of the State Department. In Fiscal Year 2023, the foreign assistance to Latin America and the Caribbean, managed by the State Department and USAID, totaled slightly over $2 billion.
The seizure of the Dassault Falcon 200 reportedly required Rubio to sign a waiver to pay off the $230,000 in storage and maintenance fees in the Dominican Republic. The freeze of USAID funds has impacted the US-backed Venezuelan opposition, who have received millions from the US agency in recent years alongside control of resources seized by Washington.
According to the Washington Office on Latin America, from fiscal year 2017 to fiscal year 2024, the US government provided over $3.5 billion in "humanitarian aid" to Venezuela and countries hosting Venezuelan emigres. During the same period, US assistance for so-called democracy, development, and health programs in Venezuela amounted to approximately $336.2 million. The losses caused by oil sanctions alone are estimated to range between $21 and $27 billion annually.
Venezuelan opposition operators have faced accusations of misappropriation of funds, even from rival anti-government factions. While the excitement surrounding the seizure of another Venezuelan jet buzzes, it's clear that the broader implications for various countries involved in this geopolitical dance remain uncertain and complex.
Edited by Ricardo Vaz in Caracas.
Enrichment Data:- TPS for Venezuelans: On March 31, 2025, a federal court in California temporarily halted the termination of the 2023 TPS designation for Venezuelans. This action effectively reinstated the January 2025 extension, allowing those covered under this status to remain in the U.S. while legal proceedings continue. The 2021 TPS designation is currently valid until at least September 10, 2025.
- Venezuelan Analysis reported that the capture of a Dassault Falcon 200, previously used as a rolling office by top Venezuelan officials, was made under the administration of US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
- Amidst mixed signals from the Donald Trump administration regarding its policies towards Venezuela, the politics surrounding the seizure of the Falcon 200 have raised speculation about its future actions.
- The General News has revealed that the United States received a waiver signed by Rubio to cover storage and maintenance fees of the seized Falcon 200, while the freeze of USAID funds has impacted the US-backed Venezuelan opposition.
