MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Venezuelan aircraft banned in the US carries Evo Morales to Buenos Aires

The former Bolivian leader was to attend the launch of book written by an adviser of Nicolás Maduro's

Former Bolivian President Evo Morales landed in Buenos Aires aboard a Venezuela-registered aircraft blacklisted by the United States Treasury Department.

Morales flew to the Argentine capital to take part in the launch of a book depicting his last days in power and for which Argentine President Alberto Fernández has wrote the prologue.

The Bombardier Learjet 45 is owned by Venezuela's oil company PDVSA and registered YV-2716. “The Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) identified fifteen aircraft as blocked property of Petróleos de Venezuela, S.A. (PdVSA) in accordance with Executive Order (OE) 13884, which blocks the property and interests in property of the Government of Venezuela ”, says the press release dating back to Jan. 21 when the measure was taken by the US.

“In addition, several of these aircraft have been operated in an unsafe and unprofessional manner in proximity to US military aircraft, while in international airspace,” the statement went on.

The book Evo: Operacón Rescate tells Morales' version of the events leading up to his resignation in November of 2019. It was written by Alfredo Serrano Mancilla, a former adviser to Maduro, who ususally does not travel abroad out of fear of being arrested in foreign territory. In addition to Morales and Fernández, also invited to the book launching ceremony was former Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa.