The United States has doubled its reward for information leading to the arrest of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro from $25 million to $50 million. Washington accuses Maduro of heading a vast cocaine trafficking operation, while Caracas dismisses the move as “pathetic” and “ridiculous.”
Attorney General Pam Bondi announced the increased bounty in a video statement, calling Maduro “one of the largest narco-traffickers in the world” and a threat to U.S. national security. She emphasized that the Department of Justice and State Department are working to bring him to justice.
Venezuela Rejects U.S. Accusations
Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yvan Gil condemned the bounty, describing it as “the most ridiculous smokescreen we have ever seen.” He insisted that “the dignity of our homeland is not for sale” and labeled the U.S. action as crude political propaganda.
Maduro and several high-ranking officials were indicted in New York federal court in 2020 during Donald Trump’s presidency. The charges include narco-terrorism conspiracy and large-scale drug trafficking.
‘Cartel of the Suns’ Allegations
The U.S. Justice Department accuses Maduro of leading the “Cartel of the Suns,” a criminal network that allegedly transported hundreds of tons of cocaine into the United States over two decades, earning hundreds of millions of dollars.
Investigators allege the cartel worked with Colombia’s FARC rebels, classified by the U.S. as a terrorist group. Bondi also linked Maduro to Venezuela’s Tren de Aragua gang and Mexico’s Sinaloa cartel.
According to the DEA, 30 tons of cocaine tied to Maduro’s network have been seized, with seven tons directly linked to him. Since September last year, U.S. authorities have confiscated over $700 million in assets, including two Venezuelan government aircraft.
Relations between Washington and Caracas have worsened since the U.S. declared Venezuela’s 2018 presidential election “deeply flawed.” The U.S. and its allies refused to recognize Maduro’s victory in the July 2024 election, alleging fraud.
Washington has imposed multiple economic sanctions, while Caracas accuses the U.S. of political interference.
On Thursday, Venezuelan Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello claimed authorities had prevented a bomb attack in Caracas, blaming the United States and the opposition for the plot.
Maduro, 62, faces life imprisonment if tried and convicted. He denies all charges, calling them “false and politically motivated.” Meanwhile, former Venezuelan intelligence chief Hugo Armando Carvajal recently pleaded guilty to U.S. drug trafficking charges and reportedly offered to provide evidence against Maduro.
