NextFin news, The United States has officially doubled the reward for information leading to the arrest of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro to $50 million. This announcement was made by U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi on August 8, 2025. The increase from the previous reward of $25 million reflects ongoing accusations against Maduro, labeling him as one of the largest narco-traffickers globally.
Bondi stated that Maduro is directly linked to drug smuggling operations and has collaborated with various criminal groups, including the Tren de Aragua and the Sinaloa Cartel. The U.S. government has previously indicted Maduro on charges of narcoterrorism and corruption, asserting that he has used cocaine as a weapon to flood the United States.
In a video posted on social media, Bondi emphasized the seriousness of the allegations against Maduro, claiming that the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has seized significant quantities of cocaine associated with him and his associates. The U.S. has accused Maduro of conspiring to traffic massive amounts of cocaine into the country.
Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yvan Gil responded to the announcement, dismissing the reward as 'pathetic' and labeling it as political propaganda. He accused the U.S. of attempting to distract from its own domestic issues.
The relationship between the U.S. and Venezuela has been strained since 2019 when the U.S. did not recognize Maduro's election victory, leading to the imposition of sanctions and an oil embargo against Venezuela. The U.S. has maintained a critical stance towards Maduro's government, which has been accused of human rights violations and suppressing dissent.
Despite the increased reward, analysts suggest that the likelihood of capturing Maduro while he remains in Venezuela is low without military intervention. However, the reward may limit his ability to travel and increase pressure on his already isolated regime.
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