U.S. boosts reward for capture of Venezuelan leader Maduro as dictator
U.S. Increases Reward for Maduro's Arrest Amidst Controversy
The U.S. government's bounty for the arrest of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has increased significantly over the years, reflecting escalating concerns over his alleged involvement in drug trafficking and terrorism.
Initially, in 2020, the U.S. Department of Justice charged Maduro with narco-terrorism and conspiracy related to cocaine trafficking and offered a reward of $15 million for information leading to his arrest. This reward was later increased to $25 million under President Joe Biden, and most recently, in August 2025, it was doubled again to $50 million.
The U.S. accuses Maduro of heading the Cartel de los Soles, a high-level drug trafficking organization involving senior Venezuelan officials. The Attorney General has highlighted that cocaine linked to Maduro’s operations represents a significant income source for drug cartels in Venezuela and Mexico. The $50 million bounty is described as "historic" to underscore the severity of the threat posed by Maduro, who is accused of using these illicit networks and terrorist organizations to destabilize the U.S.[1][4][5]
The changing bounty amounts reflect escalating U.S. efforts to pressure Maduro amid ongoing allegations of narco-terrorism, drug trafficking, and the undermining of Venezuelan democracy through alleged rigged elections. The bounty increases also coincide with political developments in Venezuela and intensifying U.S. sanctions and indictments[1][4].
However, not all international entities share the U.S.'s view of Maduro. The election victory of Maduro in July 2024 is not universally recognized, with several major international entities not acknowledging it. The USA, the European Union, and several Latin American states do not recognize Maduro as the President of Venezuela. Instead, they consider Edmundo González, who lives in Spanish exile, to be the legitimate president of Venezuela[2][3].
Large quantities of cocaine have been directly linked to Maduro, and the U.S. Department of Justice has seized assets worth over $700 million attributed to Maduro, including two private jets[6]. Attorney General Pam Bondi stated that Maduro "will not be able to evade justice."
Venezuela has been experiencing mismanagement, corruption, and international sanctions for several years, leading to a quarter of its population leaving the country[7]. The political turmoil and economic instability continue to pose significant challenges for the South American nation.
[1] https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-venezuela-maduro-idUSKBN2D42A1 [2] https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-54724954 [3] https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/23/world/americas/venezuela-maduro-election.html [4] https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-announces-reward-up-to-25-million-information-leading-arrest-venezuelan [5] https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-announces-reward-up-to-50-million-information-leading-arrest-venezuelan [6] https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-seizes-over-700-million-dollars-assets-attributed-venezuelan-president [7] https://www.unhcr.org/news/latest/2021/5/60a2b6f04/venezuela-quarter-population-fled-country-unhcr.html
- The policy-and-legislation dispute surrounding Maduro's arrest and the imposition of sanctions appears to be a significant part of general-news discussions and politics.
- Amidst ongoing war-and-conflicts accusations, such as narco-terrorism and drug trafficking, the crime-and-justice system has been actively involved in pursuing Maduro through policy-and-legislation changes, including increasing the reward for his arrest.
- The intensifying U.S. efforts to pressure Maduro and the ongoing controversies over his involvement in war-and-conflicts, including drug trafficking and undermining Venezuelan democracy, are reflected in policy-and-legislation, news, and politics, particularly in the rise of the bounty for his arrest.
