Reward of $50 million offered for capturing and apprehending Venezuela's President Maduro
In a move to intensify pressure against Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, the Trump administration has doubled the reward for information leading to his arrest on drug trafficking charges. The bounty, initially set at $25 million by the Biden administration, has now been increased to $50 million[1][3][4].
Attorney General Pam Bondi accused Maduro of being one of the world's largest narco-traffickers, alleging his involvement with cartels that flood the U.S. with fentanyl-laced cocaine. She also linked Maduro to criminal groups such as the Tren de Aragua, Sinaloa cartel, and the Cartel of the Suns[1][3].
However, Venezuela's foreign ministry dismissed the bounty as a "political propaganda operation", rejecting the U.S. claims and framing the reward as a politically motivated act rather than a legitimate law enforcement effort[3]. Despite the large bounty, Maduro remains firmly in power within Venezuela, defying the U.S. and other Western countries that have condemned his contested 2024 reelection and supported the opposition leader, Juan Guaidó, as the country's legitimate president[1][3].
Guaidó, who is now living in Spanish exile, was initially recognised as the winner of the 2019 election by the U.S., the EU, and many Latin American countries[2]. However, Maduro was sworn in for a third term until 2031, despite allegations of election fraud, nationwide protests, and international criticism[5].
The political turmoil and economic mismanagement in Venezuela have led to a significant population loss. Approximately seven million people, about a quarter of the country's population, have left the country in recent years[6]. The once-wealthy oil country is now facing severe economic hardships, with the UN reporting that the country is suffering from mismanagement, corruption, and sanctions[7].
The U.S. Department of State has accused Maduro of bringing cocaine and violence into the U.S., further justifying the increased reward[1]. However, the Venezuelan Foreign Minister, Iván Gil, has rejected the U.S. reward for information leading to the arrest of Maduro, adding to the ongoing political tensions between the two countries.
References: 1. https://www.reuters.com/world/us-doubles-reward-arrest-maduro-us-accuses-bringing-cocaine-violence-2021-02-06/ 2. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-47162275 3. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/2/6/us-doubles-reward-for-maduro-to-50-million 4. https://www.wsj.com/articles/trump-administration-doubles-reward-for-arrest-of-maduro-to-50-million-11612551630 5. https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/venezuelan-president-maduro-sworn-in-for-second-six-year-term-2019-01-10/ 6. https://www.unhcr.org/news/latest/2021/2/600803d74/venezuela-7-million-people-flee-country-unhcr.html 7. https://www.un.org/development/desa/dpad/content/venezuela-country-profile.html
- The increased bounty on Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro's arrest, now at $50 million, has intensified general-news discussions about war-and-conflicts between the U.S. and Venezuela.
- The political tensions between the two countries have expanded beyond crime-and-justice matters, as the U.S. Department of State's accusations against Maduro have been met with rejection from Venezuela's Foreign Minister.
