The United States is offering a $50 million reward for information leading to the arrest of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, Attorney General Pam Bondi announced Thursday, calling him “one of the largest narco-traffickers in the world” and a national security threat.
Background on Charges
Maduro was first indicted by the Trump administration in 2020 on narcoterrorism charges, with a $15 million bounty that later rose to $25 million. U.S. officials say the Venezuelan leader heads the Cartel de Los Soles and works with other criminal organizations, including the Sinaloa cartel, to traffic cocaine into the U.S. Bondi said authorities have seized 30 tons of cocaine linked to Maduro and nearly seven tons tied directly to him.
Political Isolation and Sanctions
The U.S. has not recognized Maduro as president since 2019, citing flawed elections in 2018 and alleged fraud in 2024. Sanctions under the first Trump administration cut Venezuela off from the U.S. financial system and blocked oil imports. A brief easing of sanctions during the Biden administration ended after officials said promised free elections did not occur.
Maduro’s Response
Maduro denies any drug trafficking ties, once telling The Washington Post the allegations “make me laugh.” Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yvan Gil dismissed the new reward as a distraction from U.S. domestic issues, posting a yawning emoji alongside Bondi’s announcement.
Impact on Venezuela
Maduro has led Venezuela since 2013, following Hugo Chávez’s death. His tenure has been marked by economic collapse and mass migration, with 7.7 million Venezuelans leaving the country — hundreds of thousands arriving in the U.S. in recent years.
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