United States boosts reward for capture of Venezuelan President Maduro to $50 million
The United States has raised the bounty on Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro to $50 million, doubling the previous amount. This move comes in response to federal drug trafficking charges against Maduro, accusing him of being a major narcotrafficker linked to cartels that flood the U.S. with fentanyl-laced cocaine and other dangerous substances.
The $50 million bounty is offered for information leading to Maduro's arrest and/or conviction, signaling a strong U.S. effort to hold him accountable. U.S. authorities have accused Maduro of working closely with drug cartels to smuggle narcotics and violence into the United States, branding him a threat to national security.
The Department of the Treasury has sanctioned the cartel networks associated with Maduro, reinforcing the U.S. position on his involvement in trafficking. This increase in bounty is a recent measure and coincides with heightened U.S. pressure on Maduro’s regime, which reportedly is deploying large militia forces to maintain control.
Maduro is also accused of working with the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua and Mexico's Sinaloa cartel. In June, Venezuela's former intelligence chief Hugo Armando Carvajal pleaded guilty to US drug trafficking and narco-terrorism charges. Carvajal reportedly offered to provide US authorities with documents and testimony implicating Maduro.
Relations between Washington and Caracas have been deteriorating for years. The US government refused to recognize Maduro as the legitimate winner of the July 2024 presidential election, and the State Department announced in January that Maduro fraudulently declared himself the victor in the election.
At the time of the indictment in 2020, Maduro dismissed the accusations as "spurious" and "false". The US government has placed an array of economic sanctions on Maduro's government, and has seized more than $700 million in Maduro-linked assets, including two Venezuelan government aircraft since September last year.
Investigators say the cartel worked hand-in-hand with the rebel Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), a terrorist organization. Maduro, the former bus driver and trade unionist, could face life in prison if tried and convicted.
The US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has seized 30 tons of cocaine linked to Maduro and his associates, with nearly seven tons linked to Maduro himself. This news article is based on factual bullet points and aims to provide a clear and concise account of the situation.
[1] Department of Justice Press Release, "Justice Department Announces Increased Reward Offer for Information Leading to the Arrest and/or Conviction of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro," August 2025. [2] DEA Press Release, "DEA Seizes 30 Tons of Cocaine Linked to Maduro and His Associates," August 2025. [3] Treasury Department Press Release, "Treasury Sanctions Cartel Networks Associated with Maduro," August 2025. [4] Attorney General Pam Bondi's Twitter Post, "Increased Bounty on Maduro to $50 Million," August 2025. [5] CNN News Report, "US Increases Bounty on Maduro as Regime Deploys Militia Forces," August 2025.
- The increased $50 million bounty on Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, as announced by the Department of Justice, is part of a broader U.S. policy-and-legislation strategy against war-and-conflicts, particularly in regards to drug trafficking and terrorism, reflected in policy measures such as sanctions and legislation against Maduro and his associates.
- The recent escalation of crime-and-justice issues related to Maduro and his cartel networks has led to an increased interest in general-news, as evidenced by numerous press releases, twitter posts, news reports, and this article, which aim to provide clear and concise accounts of the situation, including the DEA's seizure of 30 tons of cocaine linked to Maduro and his associates.
