The U.S. State Department is preparing to seize a second aircraft belonging to Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro's government currently held in the Dominican Republic, according to U.S. officials and documents.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio is expected to announce the seizure during his visit to Santo Domingo, the final destination of his five-nation Central American tour. The operation required Rubio's approval of a foreign aid freeze waiver to cover more than $230,000 in storage and maintenance fees, along with Department of Justice authorization.

The aircraft in question is a Dassault Falcon 200, reportedly used by Maduro and senior officials, including his vice president and defense minister, for international travel to countries such as Greece, Turkey, Russia, and Cuba. U.S. officials claim these flights violated American sanctions.

This development follows the U.S. seizure of another Maduro-linked aircraft in September 2024 - a Dassault Falcon 900EX valued at $13 million. The Justice Department alleged that Maduro associates used a Caribbean-based shell company to conceal their involvement in the aircraft's purchase from a Florida company.

The timing of this announcement is notable, coming just one week after President Donald Trump's special envoy, Richard Grenell, visited Caracas and met with Maduro to discuss Venezuelan nationals' repatriation from the United States. That meeting resulted in the release of six detained Americans.