Political situation in the South America country of Venezuela took a new twist on Monday as United States of America, USA seized the country President’s aircraft and same day, the President, Nicolas Maduro secured a court order to arrest political opposition leader and  presidential candidate in the unsettled July 28 presidential election, Edmundo Gonzalez.

It could be recalled that the US government on August 2, 2024, issued a statement and recognized Venezuelan opposition candidate, Edmundo González as the winner of the South American country’s presidential election, discrediting the results announced by electoral authorities who declared President Nicolás Maduro the winner.

The US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken in the statement said: “Given the overwhelming evidence, it is clear to the United States and, most importantly, to the Venezuelan people that Edmundo González Urrutia won the most votes in Venezuela’s July 28 presidential election.

“In addition, the United States rejects (current President Nicolas) Maduro’s unsubstantiated allegations against opposition leaders. Maduro and his representatives’ threats to arrest opposition leaders, including Edmundo Gonzalez and Maria Corina Machado, are an undemocratic attempt to repress political participation and retain power”.

Blinken said he congratulates Gonzalez on his “successful campaign,” adding it is time for the Venezuelan parties to begin discussions on a “respectful, peaceful transition.”

“We fully support the process of re-establishing democratic norms in Venezuela and stand ready to consider ways to bolster it jointly with our international partners,” he added.

He said the processing of the votes and announcement of the results by the Venezuelan National Electoral Council (CNE) were “deeply flawed,” adding the announced outcome “does not represent the will of the Venezuelan people.”

Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) flew Maduro’s personal plane back to the United States on Monday morning,  landed in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and is now in US custody, a US official said as reported by CNN.

We gathered that the plane, described by officials as Maduro’s version of “Air Force One,” is used for Maduro’s state visits around the world and was seized in the Dominican Republic after it was purchased through a straw company in violation of sanctions laws and export controls, the official said.

US authorities reportedly cited a specific violation of US executive order 13884, signed by former President Donald Trump in 2019. 

The plane, valued at $13 million, is a Dassault Falcon 900-EX. The seizure was a result of a joint investigation with HSI and the US Department of Commerce, according to US government.

“This morning, the Justice Department seized an aircraft we allege was illegally purchased for $13 million through a shell company and smuggled out of the United States for use by Nicolás Maduro and his cronies,” US Attorney General, Merrick Garland said in a statement.

Adding: “The Department will continue to pursue those who violate our sanctions and export controls to prevent them from using American resources to undermine the national security of the United States.”

Reuters  reported that the Venezuela’s attorney general’s office said on Monday that  a court has issued an arrest warrant for opposition leader, Edmundo Gonzalez, accusing him of conspiracy and other crimes amid a dispute over whether he or President Nicolas Maduro won a July election.

“Attorney general Tarek Saab shared a photo of the warrant with Reuters via a message on the application Telegram.
The issue of an arrest warrant against Gonzalez would amount to a major escalation in Maduro’s government’s crackdown against the opposition following the disputed election.

Venezuela’s national electoral authority and its top court have said Maduro was the victor of the July 28 election with just over half of the votes, but tallies shared by the opposition show a resounding victory for Gonzalez.

The warrant follows weeks of comments from top government officials saying Gonzalez and other members of the opposition should go to jail.

“This man has the nerve to say he doesn’t recognize laws, he doesn’t recognize anything. What’s up with that? That’s unacceptable,” Maduro said in a broadcast on state television. “Citizens agree that laws have to work and that officials do their job”, Reuters report reads in quote.

Maduro’s attorney general filed the warrant for the arrest of the 75-year-old former diplomat as part of what he said was an investigation into the opposition’s publication of voting machine receipts showing their candidate won more than twice as many votes as the Venezuela President, Nicholas Maduro.

Canada government, through the office of its Globar Affairs on Tuesday said: “Canada categorically condemns the arrest warrant issued against Edmundo González by Venezuelan authorities. Canada urges Venezuelan authorities to stop repressive acts that silence democratic voices and create a climate of fear.

Canada once more calls on the Venezuelan authorities to begin the transition process in recognition of the true results of the election. The rights and freedoms of opposition representatives, civil society and all citizens must be respected”.

On the plane seizure, a US official reportedly told CNN that; “this sends a message all the way up to the top.

“Seizing the foreign head of state’s plane is unheard-of for criminal matters. We’re sending a clear message here that no one is above the law, no one is above the reach of US sanctions.”

The plane seizure as we gathered was done by multiple agencies, including Homeland Security Investigations; Commerce agents, the Bureau of Industry and Security; and the Justice Department. The US also worked closely with the Dominican Republic, which informed Venezuela of the seizure, according to official report. 

Now, the next steps will pursuing forfeiture, which will give the Venezuelan government a chance to petition for the airplane, and collecting evidence from the plane, according to CNN. 

Additionally, the US also reimposed sanctions on Venezuela’s oil and gas sector earlier this year in response to the Maduro government’s failure to allow a fair election. 

After the controversial July 28th election, Venezuela suspended commercial flights to and from the Dominican Republic.