The Government of Switzerland announced this Monday that it has frozen the assets of the Venezuelan president, , and other people linked to him for the next four years, in order to prevent the transfer of “illicitly acquired property” out of the countrywhich are added to the sanctions in force since 2018.
The Federal Council has reported that if it is proven that said assets were acquired illicitly, will be used in favor of the Venezuelan people. Likewise, he has clarified that the current measure that still makes up the Government of Venezuela after the fall of Maduro.
The Swiss authorities have explained that given the “volatile situation”, where “several scenarios are possible”, This precautionary measure has been chosen to prevent “illegally acquired assets from being transferred outside of Switzerland”.
Switzerland has argued that the measure is not based on the overthrow of Maduro and whether this maneuver occurred in violation of International Law. “The decisive factor,” he maintains, is that after his fall, Venezuela may initiate legal proceedings in the future “with respect to illicitly acquired assets”.
“The freezing of assets serves to enable any future mutual legal assistance procedures. If these reveal that the funds were acquired illicitly, Switzerland will endeavor to use them for the benefit of the Venezuelan people,” explained the Swiss Federal Council.
