The US has seized Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro's airplane in the Dominican Republic. Washington claims that the plane was purchased in violation of American sanctions.
The incident, decried by Venezuela as modern-day "piracy," feeds into Washington's lengthy track-record of using sanctions and restrictions to bring sovereign countries "to heel." Here are just a few cases in point.
Magnitsky Act
Claiming it was policing rule of law, the US Congress adopted the notorious Magnitsky Act in 2012 following the death of Russian tax adviser Sergei Magnitsky in a Moscow prison in 2009. Magnistky, who worked for the British-based Hermitage Capital investment fund, had been arrested on charges of tax evasion.
Russia dismissed "far-fetched" allegations on the circumstances of Magnitsky’s death and slammed the legislation as "unacceptable meddling" in its domestic affairs. The Magnitsky List first targeted Russian officials, but the act was later expanded to punished targeted individuals anywhere in the world with visa and financial sanctions.
Navalny-Linked Sanctions
The US rolled out sweeping penalties imposed on Russian individuals over their alleged ties to the death of Alexey Navalny in February 2024. Navalny died while serving a 19-year sentence at a Russian penal colony for violating the terms of an earlier suspended sentence for fraud and "extremist activities." Western leaders were quick to blame Navalny’s death on Russia before the end of an examination that determined Navalny had died of natural causes.
Threats Over Georgia's Foreign Agents’ Law
Georgia's attempt to shield itself from foreign meddling through NGOs funded from abroad elicited an immediate sanctions response from Washington. After Georgia adopted the foreign agents registry law (echoing other Western countries) the US imposed visa restrictions on dozens of Georgian officials and proclaimed a review of its future relationship with the country.
Meddling in Venezuela’s Elections
When results of sovereign countries’ elections fail to suit the US, Washington dips into its toolbox of sanctions. This was the case with Venezuela.
After President Nicolas Maduro won elections in 2018, the US backed opposition Popular Will party leader and National Assembly speaker Juan Guaido’s claim that he was the country’s legitimate leader. Guaido invoked a clause in the constitution that the speaker takes over if the president is incapacitated or abandons the country – although Maduro had not. When that failed with Washington imposing harsh economic sanctions on Venezuela.
In a ‘take 2’, the US has called on the international community to recognize opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia as the "true" winner of Venezuela’s July 28 elections, which the National Electoral Council declared won by Maduro. US and EU lawmakers have threatened Maduro with "responsibility" if he does not voluntarily give up his powers as legitimate head of state.
Self-Harming Russia Sanctions
The launch of Russia’s special military operation in Ukraine spurred sweeping Western-backed sanctions against Moscow. The restrictions on Russian raw materials, including oil and gas, have since boomeranged back on Europe, primarily hurting European economies.
Russia has remained resiliant, reorienting supplies to new markets of the Asia-Pacific region, Africa, and Latin America and spearheading a drive to ditch the weaponized US dollar in payment mechanisms.