Switzerland has confirmed it is keeping frozen 687 million Swiss francs (around $880 million) in assets linked to Nicolás Maduro and people in his circle. This preventive measure is aimed at stopping the flight of suspected funds and preserving the integrity of the Swiss financial system. In essence, it is a warning to the world financial community and, at the same time, a promise to the Venezuelan people: if the illicit origin is confirmed, those funds should not remain as a stationary trophy in a vault, but should return—with control and transparency—to those who, according to the Swiss version, truly own them: the people. The data was reported by the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs to the AFP agency and corresponds to the total amount of assets reported by financial intermediaries to the Money Laundering Reporting Office after the freezing order came into effect. The decision was adopted by the Swiss Federal Council on January 5, a few days after Maduro's arrest and transfer to the United States, where he faces charges related to drug trafficking and corruption. The mechanism is clear: first, the money is immobilized to prevent its outflow; then, its origin is investigated. For a Venezuela battered by years of crisis and persistent corruption allegations, the possibility of recovering assets abroad is often seen as a gesture of reparation.
