Swiss Federal Council freezes assets of Nicolas Maduro

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GENEVA -- The Swiss Federal Council announced in a statement on Monday that it has frozen all assets held in Switzerland by Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.

The statement said that, in accordance with the relevant federal act, the Federal Council has decided to freeze all assets held in Switzerland by Maduro and other persons associated with him.

The statement noted that the freeze takes effect immediately and will remain valid for four years until further notice.

US troops carried out a raid on Saturday to kidnap Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, and flew them out of Venezuela, then put them in custody in New York.

The US forcible seizure of Maduro and his wife has stunned the world and sparked widespread outrage.