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Switzerland freezes assets linked to Venezuela's Maduro after US arrest (www.reuters.com)

submitted 5 days ago by throws_lemy@reddthat.com to c/europe@feddit.org

26 comments fedilink hide all child comments

Switzerland has frozen assets held in the country by Venezuela's Nicolas Maduro and associates, the Swiss government said on Monday, following his arrest by U.S. forces in Caracas and transfer to the United States.

A spokesperson for the Swiss Foreign Ministry said the order affects 37 people. The spokesperson said the ministry could not provide any details on the value of the assets in question.

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[–] Don_alForno@feddit.org 53 points 5 days ago (2 children)

Doesn't sound very neutral to me.

[–] PoTayToes@sh.itjust.works 15 points 5 days ago* (last edited 5 days ago) (4 children)

You (and everyone upvoting) have no idea what Switzerland neutrality means. It's not like you could just read up an official Swiss government document about it (PDF warning)

This is standard procedure, freezing the assets of dictators so that the country can get them back. This is to help the Venezuelan people. Here, other examples of similar cases.

Ever since the Marcos (Philippines) affair in 1986, the list of illicit potentate funds that have been seized in Swiss banks and later returned to the country has steadily grown to include Montesinos (Peru), Mobutu (former Zaire), Dos Santos (Angola), Abacha (Nigeria), Kazakhstan, Salinas (Mexico), Duvalier (Haiti), Ben Ali (Tunisia), and Mubarak (Egypt).

https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/politics/illicit-assets_switzerland-has-impressive-results-for-return-of-dictator-funds/42707888

[–] kossa@feddit.org 4 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago)

Did they freeze Trumps assets yet, if they're so vigilant about dictators?

[–] DragonTypeWyvern@midwest.social 2 points 3 days ago

Sure bro, that's why they did it now and not last year.

[–] Hell_nah_brother@thelemmy.club 1 points 3 days ago

“No bro you dont understand swissland, we just have to take everyone’s money by law! its for your own good, trust me bro we are neutral, we will give it back”

[–] prole@lemmy.blahaj.zone 5 points 4 days ago

neutrality means that we take everyone's money!

[+] jenesaisquoi@feddit.org -6 points 4 days ago (1 children)

Neutrality doesn't mean inaction.

[–] Don_alForno@feddit.org 5 points 4 days ago (1 children)

It certainly means not taking sides in other's conflicts.

[–] jenesaisquoi@feddit.org -1 points 4 days ago (1 children)

That is inaccurate. By making sure a future legitimate Venezuelan government gets Maduros stolen corruption money, and not him, Switzerland is taking the side of international law.

[–] Don_alForno@feddit.org 5 points 4 days ago (1 children)

Oh, so he's been convicted by the Hague or another court that might have jurisdiction?

I mean I'm personally sure he's actually a despicable corrupt dictator and should face consequences, but if this was about international law, Switzerland would have frozen his assets when he supposedly doctored the last election, not when he'd just conveniently been illegally kidnapped and couldn't fight back. This is clearly about appeasing the orange rapist and nothing else.

[–] jenesaisquoi@feddit.org -1 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago) (2 children)

Just like everyone froze Putlers money ca 2004? 2012? 2014?

Be realistic. When exactly to freeze is a political decision. Why do you expect a tiny country to expose itself when others 100x more powerful won't? And still haven't, by the way. Maduro can get his money from UK accounts as we speak, but I don't see you hating on them.

[–] DragonTypeWyvern@midwest.social 2 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Yes, you get it, it's about corrupt power and not the law.

[–] jenesaisquoi@feddit.org 1 points 2 days ago

This action was in accord with international and national law

[–] Don_alForno@feddit.org 1 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Why do you expect a tiny country to expose itself when others 100x more powerful won't?

I don't? They could have just stayed out of it but chose to "expose" themselves just now when it was convenient. If you're not going to speak up against injustice then don't, but then own it. Don't come swooping down like a vulture once it's safe and act like you're all just and good and "for the people of Venezuela".

[–] jenesaisquoi@feddit.org 1 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Please don't conflate things. The parent suggested this was done in the interest of the USA, which is not the case, this is in the interest of Venezuela.

Also, please don't call me names.

[–] Don_alForno@feddit.org 1 points 2 days ago

The parent suggested this was done in the interest of the USA

No, I suggested this was done in the interest of the orange rapist, which is not the same. Targeting the person currently in his sights is absolutely meant to gain browny points with him (and likely to work for a time). If it was meant to achieve anything else, it could and should have been done much earlier.

this is in the interest of Venezuela.

Maybe coincidentally. That entirely depends on with whom the assets end up, which remains to be seen.

Also, please don't call me names.

I did not.

[–] Zedstrian@lemmy.dbzer0.com 26 points 5 days ago (1 children)

Switzerland being complicit in the dealings of fascist states, as always.

[–] jenesaisquoi@feddit.org 18 points 5 days ago* (last edited 5 days ago) (4 children)

The assets are frozen in anticipation of a future legitimate Venezuelan request for return of Maduros corruption money.

This is done for Venezuela.

[–] HowRu68@lemmy.world 9 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago) (1 children)

This is done for Venezuela.

Exactly, it says:

" The asset freeze does not affect members of the current Venezuelan government, and Switzerland said it will seek to return any funds found to be illicitly acquired to benefit the Venezuelan people."

"The asset freeze was a precautionary measure and applied to Maduro and his associates as foreign politically exposed persons, the government said."

The account owners were arrested and are under duress, and nobody knows yet who the legal new head of state is. So anybody with some access (including Maduro pressured by US) could illegally seize it. That's why they froze the accounts for now.

[–] jenesaisquoi@feddit.org 1 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago)

Every time Switzerland does anything that makes world news the comments are full of stupid, uninformed hate. I think it's 90% jealeousy of its wealth and success and 10% actual resentment because of shameful things done in WW2. I'd like to see them survive being surrounded by huge fascist militaries for 5 years while being a tiny country and manage as little collaboration as there was.

[–] kossa@feddit.org 1 points 3 days ago

Did they freeze Trump assets yet?

[–] JensSpahnpasta@feddit.org 3 points 5 days ago (1 children)

Yeah - the question really is why that money was allowed to be in Switzerland all those years.

[–] PoTayToes@sh.itjust.works 2 points 5 days ago

Because Maduro wasn't sanctioned by a body that Switzerland recognizes as binding.

However now that he's fallen, they are freezing his money to give it back to the country when it asks for it.

[–] Zedstrian@lemmy.dbzer0.com -1 points 4 days ago

By doing it after Maduro's kidnapping—rather than before, independently of US foreign policy—Switzerland is tacitly accepting the right of the U.S. to interfere in Venezuelan politics, a matter in which no U.S. court has jurisdiction. I don't like Maduro any more than the next dictator, but the U.S. shouldn't have illegally kidnapped him and murdered dozens of Cubans and Venezuelans in the process, and countries like the UK and Switzerland shouldn't be normalizing this violation of international law by any means.

[–] pleasureyoucanmeasure@lemmy.sdf.org 5 points 4 days ago (1 children)

Huh, how did it get there? Swiss commenters keep saying that dictators can no longer hide money there?

[–] jenesaisquoi@feddit.org 4 points 4 days ago

In contrast with the UK, the USA and others, Switzerland has been implementing OECD standards for automatic information exchange with foreign tax authorities for more than a decade.

But hey, dumb US films keep talking about "Swiss accounts", so it must be true, right? Also please don't look at Delaware, Virgin Islands or Panama.