Switzerland froze this Monday all assets linked to Nicolás Maduro and people around you that are in their territory. The government took the decision with immediate effect to avoid the possible flight of capital after the fall of the Chavista leader.
The measure was adopted by the authorities just two days after the United States Capture Maduro along with his wife Cilia Flores in a spectacular military operation in Caracas.
The freezing does not affect members of the “current Venezuelan government” and will have an initial validity of four years.
The Swiss authorities indicated that the objective is to preserve the funds against the possibility that, in the future, judicial processes are initiated to determine whether these assets were obtained illicitly.
If an illegal origin is proven, Switzerland will seek to ensure that the resources are used for the benefit of the Venezuelan people.
“The Federal Council wishes to ensure that illicitly acquired assets cannot be transferred outside of Switzerland in the current situation. (The government) has decided, as a precautionary measure, to freeze the assets that Mr. Maduro and other persons associated with him possess in Switzerland,” he indicated.
The freeze is added to the sanctions that Switzerland has maintained against Venezuela since 2018 and It includes people who until now were not reached by these measures.
The decision does not depend on how Maduro’s departure from power occurred or whether it occurred legally or not, but on the fact that The change in situation opens the door to possible legal claims about the origin of the funds, the country’s authorities clarified.
Venezuela: With immediate effect, Switzerland is freezing any Swiss-based assets linked to Nicolás Maduro. If any assets turn out to be of illicit origin, Switzerland will do its best to ensure that these benefit the Venezuelan population. https://t.co/VdnJczonua
— Swiss Federal Government (@SwissGov) January 5, 2026
Maduro and Flores appeared in New York
The measure announced by Switzerland coincided with the first appearance of Maduro and Flores before US justice this Monday in federal court in southern New York.
The former leaders face charges for narcoterrorism, conspiracy to import cocaine and other serious crimes. For the first time, the accusation also includes the former Venezuelan representative, identified by the Prosecutor’s Office for her alleged participation in the coordination and logistics of the investigated network.
The Swiss government recalled that it is closely monitoring the situation in Venezuela and urged detente, moderation and compliance with international law, including the prohibition of the use of force and the principle of respect for territorial integrity.
“Switzerland has also repeatedly offered his good offices to all parties to find a peaceful solution to the situation,” he recalled.
