U.S. OFFERS $25 MILLION REWARD FOR ARREST OF VENEZUELA’S PRESIDENT OVER DRUG TRAFFICKING CHARGES

In a significant escalation of its diplomatic and legal pressure on Venezuela, the U.S. Department of State has officially increased its reward to $25 million for information leading to the arrest or conviction of President Nicolás Maduro Moros on charges including narcoterrorism and drug trafficking.
The action comes alongside sanctions targeting eight Venezuelan officials, including PDVSA head Héctor Obregón and Transportation Minister Ramón Velásquez, under a broader campaign coordinated with U.S. allies including the EU, Canada, and the UK.
Maduro was sworn in for a third controversial term on January 10, 2025, despite widespread claims by opposition and international observers that the July 2024 election was fraudulent. The reward had previously stood at $15 million before the latest increase.
The expanded bounty is part of the U.S. Narcotics Rewards Program, which also includes separate rewards of up to $25 million for Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello Rondón and $15 million for Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino López. All three individuals have been designated as key figures in the so-called Cartel de los Soles, a narcotics trafficking network sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury as a terrorist organization.
This development marks the latest step in American efforts to support the Venezuelan opposition, which claims that Edmundo González, rather than Maduro, won the disputed election. The U.S. continues to emphasize non-recognition of Maduro’s presidency and has condemned his inauguration as illegitimate.