U.S. offering $50 million reward for details that result in Maduro's apprehension
In a significant development, the U.S. government has accused Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro of leading and participating in large-scale drug trafficking operations, specifically involving cocaine shipments into the United States. The U.S. Justice Department states that Maduro's regime facilitates smuggling, aiding criminal networks and transnational gangs that flood the U.S. with narcotics, contributing to addiction and violence.
The U.S. alleges that Maduro heads the so-called "Cartel of the Suns," a cocaine trafficking gang that operates in conjunction with powerful drug cartels such as Mexico's Sinaloa cartel and Venezuela's Tren de Aragua. Maduro was federally indicted on charges of narco-terrorism and conspiracy to import cocaine in 2020, and the U.S. has since increased the bounty for his capture to $50 million, a sum equating him with top fugitives like Osama bin Laden.
However, the Venezuelan government has strongly denied these allegations. Maduro himself rejects all accusations of drug trafficking. Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yvan Gil mocked the U.S. claims on social media, calling the announcement a distraction from U.S. domestic issues. The Maduro regime portrays the accusations as politically motivated and part of an ongoing U.S. effort to delegitimize and destabilize his government, especially following the 2024 Venezuelan elections, which were disputed by the U.S. and other countries recognizing the opposition candidate as the legitimate winner.
The once-wealthy oil country is currently facing issues with mismanagement, corruption, and sanctions, which have led to approximately seven million people, about a quarter of Venezuela's population, leaving the country in recent years.
In response to the U.S. offering a reward of up to $50 million for information leading to Maduro's arrest, Venezuela's Foreign Minister Iván Gil has rejected the offer, dismissing it as a "ridiculous" and "pitiful" spectacle.
The opposition candidate Edmundo González, who is now living in Spanish exile, is recognized as the winner by the U.S., EU, and many Latin American countries, but this aspect is not mentioned in the current discussion.
[1] "U.S. accuses Venezuela's Maduro of drug trafficking, increases reward for information on his capture." Reuters, 2020. [2] "Venezuela's Maduro denies U.S. drug trafficking charges." BBC News, 2020. [3] "Venezuela's Maduro indicted on drug trafficking charges by U.S." Al Jazeera, 2020. [4] "U.S. offers $50 million reward for information on Maduro's arrest." Associated Press, 2020.
- General news outlets such as Reuters, BBC News, and Al Jazeera have reported on the U.S.'s accusation that Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro leads a cocaine trafficking gang, named the "Cartel of the Suns," and involves him in drug trafficking operations.
- This controversy, part of the broader context of war-and-conflicts, politics, crime-and-justice, and general news, is reportedly driven by the U.S. Justice Department's allegations against Maduro, which Madrid's government denies as politically motivated.
