US increases reward for Nicolás Maduro’s arrest to $50 million

The US Department of Justice (DOJ) increased the reward on Thursday for information leading to the arrest of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro to $50 million.

In a video posted on X, Attorney General Pam Bondi stated, “He is one of the world’s biggest drug traffickers and a threat to our national security. For this reason, we have doubled his reward to $50 million.”

The Joe Biden administration had previously set the reward at $25 million. This amount was an increase from the initial $15 million offered by the Trump administration for information leading to Maduro’s capture.

Maduro was targeted by the US in 2020 on charges of “narco-terrorism,” with allegations that he sought to “flood” US communities with cocaine, effectively weaponizing the drug.

Western leaders refuse to recognize Maduro as the legitimate leader of Venezuela, pointing to his controversial re-election in 2024 that secured his return to office.

Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yvan Gil, as reported by the Associated Press (AP), said, “Considering who is doing this, we are not surprised. The person who promised Epstein’s non-existent ‘secret list’ and is embroiled in scandals for political interests. This spectacle is a joke, a desperate attempt to divert attention from her own misery.”

Bondi asserted that under Trump’s leadership, “Maduro will not escape justice and will be held accountable for his heinous crimes.”

Officials announced that over $700 million in assets have been seized, including two private jets and nine vehicles linked to Maduro.

According to the Department of Justice, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has seized 7 tons of cocaine linked to the Venezuelan leader, which was frequently trafficked by members of the Sinaloa and Cartel of the Sons gangs.