The Swiss Federal Council decided on Monday to block “any assets in Switzerland belonging to Nicolás Maduro and others linked to him,” just two days after the Venezuelan leader was captured by the United States during a high-profile military operation in Caracas. Switzerland “aims to prevent any capital flight,” while clarifying that “no member of the current Venezuelan government is affected by this measure.”
If subsequent legal proceedings reveal that these funds are of illegal origin, “Switzerland will ensure that they are returned to the Venezuelan people,” continues the statement.
“The freezing (…) complements the sanctions already in force against Venezuela under the Embargo Law, applicable since 2018 and which also includes asset freezing measures,” adds the Swiss government.
Nicolás Maduro is set to appear on Monday at 18:00 CET before a federal court in Manhattan. The ousted leader faces four charges, including “conspiracy to commit narcoterrorism” and “possession of automatic weapons.” Some charges also pertain to his wife, Cilia Flores, his son, and several high-ranking government officials.
This initial hearing – known as an “indictment” – marks the beginning of the judicial process to determine if the Venezuelan president can be tried in the United States. On the day of his capture, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio had stated on X that Nicolás Maduro “was not the president of Venezuela” and was leading “the cartel of Los Soles, a narcoterrorist organization that has taken control of a country.”