The United States has increased its reward for information leading to the arrest of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro to $50 million, doubling the previous $25 million offer.
The decision, announced Thursday, has drawn sharp criticism from Caracas, which labeled the move “pathetic” and “ridiculous.”
Washington, which has refused to recognize Maduro’s last two election victories, accuses the Venezuelan leader of heading a major cocaine trafficking network. “Today, the Department of Justice and State Department are announcing a historic $50 million reward for information leading to the arrest of Nicolas Maduro,” Attorney General Pam Bondi declared in a video message on social media. “He is one of the largest narco-traffickers in the world and a threat to our national security.”
Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yvan Gil dismissed the announcement, calling it “the most ridiculous smokescreen we have ever seen.” Posting on Telegram, he said, “The dignity of our homeland is not for sale. We reject this crude political propaganda operation.”
In 2020, during Donald Trump’s first term as US president, Maduro and other senior Venezuelan officials were indicted in a New York federal court on multiple charges, including involvement in a “narco-terrorism” conspiracy. Washington has accused them of being part of the so-called “Cartel of the Suns,” a network allegedly engaged in large-scale drug trafficking.
Tensions between the United States and Venezuela have been worsening for years. The US government has not recognized Maduro as Venezuela’s legitimate president since what it describes as a “deeply flawed” 2018 election. The State Department also refused to acknowledge Maduro’s self-declared victory in the July 28, 2024 presidential race, citing evidence of electoral fraud. “The United States joined many other countries in refusing to recognize Maduro as the legitimate winner of the July 2024 presidential election,” it said when announcing the earlier $25 million bounty in January.
Over the years, Washington has imposed a range of economic sanctions on Venezuela’s government. Caracas, in turn, has consistently accused the United States of meddling in its internal affairs.
On the same day the bounty increase was announced, Venezuelan Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello revealed that security forces had foiled a bomb attack in a commercial district of Caracas. As in previous incidents, he blamed the United States and the Venezuelan opposition for orchestrating the alleged plot.
What you should know
The US has doubled its bounty on Nicolas Maduro to $50 million, accusing him of running a cocaine trafficking operation and posing a threat to American security.
Venezuela’s government has rejected the move as political propaganda and interference. The US has refused to recognize Maduro’s leadership since the disputed 2018 election and again after the contested 2024 vote.
Economic sanctions remain in place, and bilateral relations continue to deteriorate amid mutual accusations.
