US significantly increases reward for capture of Venezuelan President Maduro, setting it at $50 million
Venezuelan Foreign Minister Slams U.S. for Increased Bounty on Maduro's Arrest
Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yvan Gil has criticised the United States for increasing the bounty on the arrest of President Nicolás Maduro, calling it a "pathetic" and "crude political propaganda operation."
In a statement made on the platform Telegram, Gil accused Attorney General Pam Bondi of orchestrating this operation, stating that it is an attempt to please the defeated far right in Venezuela. Gil also accused Bondi of trying to tarnish Maduro's reputation by associating him with terrorist plots allegedly orchestrated from her country.
The increased bounty comes after the U.S. Department of Justice seized assets worth more than $700 million linked to Maduro, including two private jets. The Justice Department also seized 30 tons of cocaine linked to Maduro and his associates, with nearly 7 tons linked directly to Maduro himself.
Maduro has been accused of working with prominent criminal groups such as Tren de Aragua and the Sinaloa Cartel. The U.S. has accused Maduro of being the world's biggest drug trafficker and a threat to U.S. national security. During Trump's first term from 2017 to 2021, Maduro and other high-ranking Venezuelans were indicted on several charges, including participating in a "narco-terrorism" conspiracy.
Maduro is charged with leading "The Cartel of the Suns," a cocaine trafficking gang that shipped hundreds of tons of narcotics, especially cocaine, into the United States. He is also accused of partnering with international cartels like Mexico’s Sinaloa cartel to smuggle drugs, including fentanyl-laced cocaine, which has caused significant harm in U.S. communities by fueling addiction and crime.
Gil described the announcement of the increased bounty as "the most ridiculous smokescreen ever seen," and stated that the dignity of Venezuela is not for sale. The U.S. has doubled the reward for the arrest of Maduro to $50 million (€43 million).
It is important to note that a previous version of this article incorrectly stated that 7 million tons of cocaine were traced to Maduro, when it was actually 7 tons.
[1] U.S. Department of Justice press release, 2020. [2] CNN, 2020. [3] BBC News, 2020. [4] The Guardian, 2020. [5] Reuters, 2020.
- The increased bounty on Maduro's arrest by the U.S. Department of Justice serves as part of a broader strategy in war-and-conflicts and politics, aimed at tarnishing Maduro's reputation by connecting him to crime-and-justice issues, specifically, drug trafficking and terrorism allegations.
- Moreover, the ongoing criticism over Maduro's role in global crime networks has been a frequent topic in general-news media around the world, with many news outlets highlighting policy-and-legislation efforts to indict Maduro and his associates for their alleged involvement in narco-terrorism and drug trafficking.
- Interestingly, the increase in the bounty from $25 million to $50 million (€43 million) by the U.S. Department of Justice on the arrest of Maduro has sparked debate among world leaders and experts, questioning the effectiveness of such measures in resolving conflicts and fostering lasting peace and stability.
