The Swiss government on Monday announced that it would freeze any assets held in Switzerland by deposed Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro or individuals associated with him, with immediate effect.
Gatekeepers News reports that Bern said the decision followed Maduro’s arrest in Caracas during a surprise US military operation and his subsequent transfer to New York to face narcotrafficking charges.
Describing the situation as “volatile,” the Swiss government said the move was aimed at preventing the possible transfer of illicit funds out of the country.
“It wants to ensure that any illicitly acquired assets cannot be transferred out of Switzerland in the current situation,” the government said in a statement.
“It has therefore decided, as a precautionary measure, to freeze any assets held in Switzerland by Mr Maduro and other persons associated with him,” it added.
According to the statement, “the asset freeze comes into force today with immediate effect and will remain valid for four years until further notice.”
The government noted that if future legal proceedings establish that the funds were illegally obtained, Switzerland would seek to ensure that they “benefit the Venezuelan people.”
It clarified that “the asset freeze does not affect any members of the current Venezuelan government.”
The measure was taken under Switzerland’s Federal Act on the Freezing and the Restitution of Illicit Assets Held by Foreign Politically Exposed Persons and comes in addition to sanctions imposed on Venezuela since 2018, which already include asset freezes.
The Swiss government said the latest action targets “individuals who have not previously been sanctioned in Switzerland.”
Bern added that it was closely monitoring developments in Venezuela and called “for de-escalation, restraint and compliance with international law, including the prohibition of the use of force and the principle of respect for territorial integrity.”
It also reiterated Switzerland’s willingness to offer its “good offices to all sides in order to find a peaceful solution to the situation.”
According to the statement, “the reasons behind Mr Maduro’s fall from power do not play a decisive role in asset freezes… nor does the question of whether the fall from power occurred lawfully or in violation of international law.”
“The decisive factor,” the government said, “is that a fall from power has occurred and that it is now possible that the country of origin will initiate legal proceedings in the future with regard to illicitly acquired assets.”
AFP
