The Trump administration has raised the reward for the arrest of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro to $50 million, intensifying its campaign to bring the embattled leader to justice over longstanding U.S. drug trafficking charges.
The announcement was delivered Thursday by Attorney General Pam Bondi, who stated that the administration views Maduro as a central figure in the global narcotics trade, specifically linking him to the distribution of fentanyl-laced cocaine into the United States. The updated reward doubles the previous offer and reflects what officials describe as a renewed focus on Maduro’s alleged criminal activities.
Maduro was first indicted by the U.S. Justice Department in 2020 during Donald Trump’s first term, charged alongside several top aides with narco-terrorism and conspiracy to smuggle cocaine into U.S. territory. The original reward was set at $15 million, later increased to $25 million during the Biden administration.
Despite international pressure and efforts to delegitimize his presidency, Maduro has remained in power, bolstered by support from allies such as Russia and China. His 2024 reelection drew widespread criticism from the United States, European Union, and multiple Latin American governments, who dismissed the process as fraudulent and recognized opposition leader María Corina Machado as the legitimate winner.
The new bounty follows a high-profile diplomatic deal last month, in which the Trump administration secured the release of 10 American citizens detained in Caracas. In return, the U.S. agreed to expedite the deportation of Venezuelan migrants, many of whom had been sent to third countries like El Salvador during Trump’s broader immigration crackdown. Shortly after, the White House lifted restrictions on Chevron, granting the U.S. oil company permission to resume drilling operations in Venezuela despite ongoing sanctions.
In her statement, Bondi also detailed financial penalties already imposed on Maduro and his network. The Justice Department has seized over $700 million in assets tied to the Venezuelan leader, including luxury aircraft and real estate. U.S. officials claim nearly seven metric tons of cocaine seized in recent years can be traced directly to operations under Maduro’s control.
Venezuela’s government responded sharply to the announcement. Foreign Minister Yvan Gil dismissed the reward as a political stunt, accusing Bondi of using the platform to deflect from her own controversies. In a statement, he criticized what he described as Washington’s ongoing campaign to undermine Venezuela’s sovereignty and mocked Bondi for her past involvement in high-profile scandals.
