United States Increases Bounty for Capturing Maduro to $50 Million
U.S. Raises Reward for Maduro's Arrest to $50 Million
The United States has increased the reward for information leading to the arrest or conviction of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro to a staggering $50 million, as announced by U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi in August 2025.
The latest move comes as the U.S. continues to accuse Maduro of leading the Cartel de Los Soles, a powerful drug trafficking organization responsible for flooding the U.S. with cocaine, some laced with fentanyl. Maduro was federally indicted in 2020 in the Southern District of New York for narco-terrorism, conspiracy to import cocaine, possession and conspiracy to possess machine guns and destructive devices under various U.S. codes (21 U.S.C. §§ 960a and 963, and 18 U.S.C. § 924).
In July 2025, the U.S. Department of the Treasury designated Cartel de Los Soles as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) organization, further linking Maduro to terrorism.
Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yván Gil has condemned the reward as a "crude political propaganda operation" and "the most ridiculous smokescreen." Gil's message, posted on the messaging app Telegram, suggests that the reward announcement is a response to political opposition within Venezuela.
The DEA has seized cocaine linked to Maduro and his associates, but it is unclear if any arrests have been made as a result. The U.S. Department of Justice has also seized over $700 million in assets and two private planes and nine vehicles linked to Maduro.
Maduro's message implies that the Venezuelan government is actively dismantling terrorist plots. However, the U.S. Attorney General, Pam Bondi, stated that Maduro will not escape justice, describing him as one of the world's largest drug traffickers and a threat to U.S. national security.
| Aspect | Details | |----------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Reward | Up to $50 million for info leading to Maduro's arrest or conviction (as of August 2025) | | Criminal Charges | Narco-terrorism, cocaine import conspiracy, possession and conspiracy for machine guns etc. | | Affiliated Organization| Leader of Cartel de Los Soles, designated SDGT (July 2025) | | Evidence Basis | U.S. federal indictment and Treasury/State Department designations citing extensive drug trafficking and terrorism links |
This represents the latest U.S. official stance and evidence publicly presented against Nicolás Maduro. The ongoing dispute between the U.S. and Venezuela continues to unfold, with both sides accusing each other of various wrongdoings.
The ongoing dispute between the U.S. and Venezuela delves into politics, general-news, and crime-and-justice, as the U.S. increases a reward for Nicolás Maduro's arrest to $50 million, accusing him of leading a powerful drug trafficking organization, the Cartel de Los Soles. The organization was designated as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) in July 2025, further linking Maduro to terrorism.
