The Swiss government, through its Federal Council, ordered on Monday the immediate freezing of all financial assets held by Nicolás Maduro and his inner circle in Swiss territory. This measure aims to prevent any attempt to transfer funds abroad amid the power vacuum and political instability facing Venezuela following the arrest of the Chavista leader last Saturday in Caracas, Argentina's news agency reported. The decision is based on the Federal Law on the Freezing and Restitution of Illegal Assets (FIAA), a tool designed to act against abrupt changes of power abroad. According to Bern's official communiqué, if subsequent investigations prove that the capital was obtained irregularly, Switzerland commits to ensuring that these resources are returned for the direct benefit of the Venezuelan people. Swiss authorities clarified that this action is preventive and precautionary in nature, regardless of the international legal circumstances surrounding Maduro's detention by the Trump administration. In the event of a de facto change of command, Switzerland enables the mechanism for future legitimate Venezuelan authorities to initiate reciprocal judicial assistance processes to recover the national heritage. While Maduro awaits his appearance in a federal court in New York on narcoterrorism charges, Switzerland reaffirmed its commitment to international law and recalled that it maintains its 'good offices' available to all parties to achieve a peaceful solution. Currently, the Swiss banking system is under strict surveillance to detect suspicious movements linked to the hierarchy of the outgoing regime.
