“Other people linked to him” are also affected by this measure, such as his wife Cilia Flores, family members and former ministers, the government said in a statement.
“No member of the acting Venezuelan government is being harassed,” he said.
In the event that subsequent judicial proceedings reveal that these funds are of illegal origin, Switzerland will ensure that they are returned to the benefit of the Venezuelan population.
Swiss government.
The asset freezing order comes into force “with immediate effect” and is valid, until further notice, for a period of four years.
With this decision, the government says it wants to “ensure that potential illicitly acquired assets cannot leave Switzerland in the current situation.”
This blockade complements the sanctions in force in Switzerland against Venezuela, which have been applicable since 2018 and include asset blocking measures.
“The new blocks target people who have not been sanctioned in Switzerland until now,” the government says.
After months of attacks on vessels accused of drug trafficking, the United States on Saturday exfiltrated Nicolás Maduro, 63, and his wife Cilia Flores, 69, both accused of “narcoterrorism” in New York.
Many countries question the legality of the US intervention, presented by Washington as a “police operation.”
Under certain circumstances, Switzerland can take measures to prevent the withdrawal of assets of illicit origin deposited in the Alpine country.
By blocking assets, Switzerland allows the judicial authorities of the affected States to request judicial assistance for their criminal investigations.
But it is the judicial authorities of the State in question who must initiate the necessary criminal proceedings and prove the illicit origin of the funds.
