MEMBER COUNTRY OF THE EMINENT INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT SINCE HE INJURED INTO THIS WAR 18 MONTHS AGO. >>> U.S. AUTHORITIES HAVE SEIZED A LUXURY JET USED BY VENEZUELA'S LEADER NICOLAS MADURO. OFFICIALS TOOK THE PLAINS THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC AND BROUGHT IT TO FLORIDA SAYING THAT IT WAS A VIOLATION OF U.S. SANCTIONS. CBS NEWS NATIONAL SECURITY REPORTER IS JOINING US NOW TO EXPLAIN HOW THIS WENT DOWN. SO I GUESS MY FIRST QUESTION IS WHY WAS THE U.S. ABLE TO SEIZE THE PLANE? WHAT AUTHORITY DO THEY HAVE? >> GOOD MORNING. KEY TO THE SUCCESS OF THIS OPERATION WAS ACTUALLY MOVED BY THE AUTHORITY IN THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC. THESE ARE THE ONES WHO ACCOMMODATED THE U.S. REQUEST TO IMMOBILIZE THE PLANE WHILE IT WAS ON DR TERRITORY. AMERICAN OFFICIALS HAVE SAID THAT THE PLANE WAS FLOWN THERE FOR SERVICE. AND THAT'S WHAT OPENED THE DOOR AND FLIGHTED TO FLORIDA. USING A SHELL COMPANY IN VIOLATION OF SANCTIONS AND EXPORT CONTROL LAWS. IT IS TO AND FROM M OF THE MILITARY BASE IN VENEZUELA. THIS WAS A MESSAGE BEING SENT TO MADURO THAT HE NEEDS TO FUEL THESE CONSEQUENCES. RECENTLY IT'S BEEN OVER THE ELECTION BUT THE RELATIONSHIP HE HAS HAD HAS BEEN FRAUGHT FOR A LONG TIME. CAN YOU REMIND US OF WHAT THIS RELATIONSHIP IS ACTUALLY BEEN LIKE? >> IT IS A SPECTACULAR MOVE. THE SANCTIONS UNDER WHICH THIS WAS SEIZED HAVE DATED BACK TO THE TRUMPET MINISTRATION. AND IN FACT THE STATE DEPARTMENT HAS AN $15 MILLION REWARD ON HIS HEAD. WITH NARCO TERRORISM AND CORRUPTION AT LARGE. THE OVERWHELMING CONTEXT IS THE ELECTION WHICH IS WIDELY DISPUTED. THEY'VE CLAIMED VICTORY DESPITE WHAT THEY'VE SAID WAS OVERWHELMING EVIDENCE THAT IT WAS IN FACT AN MONDO GONZALES WHO HAD MORE VOTES IN THIS ELECTION AND DESPITE THE FACT OR RATHER BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT MADURO HAS THUS FAR REFUSED TO RELEASE ANY VOTE TALLIES THAT WOULD SUBSTANTIATE HIS CLAIM TO VICTORY. >> THE VENEZUELAN GOVERNMENT HAS ACTUALLY ISSUED AN ARREST WARRANT AND ONLY A HANDFUL OF COUNTRIES ACTUALLY RECOGNIZED HIM AS THE WINNER. THE VAST NUMBER OF OTHER COUNTRIES DISPUTES THE OUTCOME OF THIS ELECTION. THIS IS THE FIRST AND ONLY OPPORTUNITY THEY HAVE CAN WE EXPECT FURTHER RESPONSE MAINTAINING THIS COVERAGE? >> YOU CAN REASONABLY EXPECT THAT ANNOUNCEMENT FROM U.S. OFFICIALS WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF ADDITIONAL LEVELS IS ALWAYS ALIVE POSSIBILITY. DIPLOMATIC EFFORT TO EXERT PRESSURE HAS BEEN SOMEWHAT LIMITED. THE U.S. HAS BEEN AT THE FOREFRONT AND THE EU HAS SAID THEY WOULD NOT RECOGNIZE THE CLAIMS TO VICTORY. MEANINGFUL COUNTRIES IN THE REGION WITH WHICH VENEZUELA HAS CLOSER TIES HAVE BEEN SOMEWHAT MORE ON THE FENCE THEY HAVE ENGAGED IN CALLED FOR MORE TRANSPARENCY BUT HAVE NOT EXACTLY TAKEN A SIDE. ARGUABLY HE MAY FEEL EMBOLDENED AND HAS ACCUSED THEM OF BEING AN ACT OF PIRACY AND IN THE U.S. ESSENTIALLY OVER