U.S. Doubles Reward to $50M for Arrest of Nicolás Maduro

• Aug 08, 2025

The United States has increased its reward for information leading to the arrest of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro to $50 million. The announcement was made Thursday by Attorney General Pam Bondi, who described Maduro as a global threat and a key figure in international drug trafficking.

In a video message, Bondi accused Maduro of partnering with violent foreign cartels, including Tren de Aragua, the Sinaloa cartel, and Venezuela’s own Cartel of the Suns. “He is one of the largest narco-traffickers in the world and a threat to our national security,” she said.

The $50 million reward, up from the $25 million offered earlier this year, follows a series of charges filed against Maduro in March 2020. These include narco-terrorism, conspiracy to import cocaine, and possession of machine guns and destructive devices.

According to Bondi, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has so far seized 30 tons of cocaine linked to Maduro and his associates. She warned that much of this cocaine is laced with fentanyl, which has been responsible for thousands of deaths across the United States.

The Cartel of the Suns, a powerful drug trafficking network allegedly run by senior Venezuelan military officials, plays a central role in the charges. U.S. authorities say Maduro uses this organization to coordinate shipments of cocaine and weapons, mainly through alliances with groups like FARC, a designated foreign terrorist group.

Maduro is also accused of helping FARC traffic large quantities of cocaine and providing the group with military-grade weapons. He is said to have solicited FARC’s help in training an unauthorized militia that functions as the armed wing of the cartel.

Senator Marco Rubio also weighed in, calling Maduro a “narco-terrorist” and reiterating the U.S. stance that he is not Venezuela’s legitimate leader. Rubio said Maduro’s 2024 re-election was fraudulent and that the U.S. remains committed to restoring democracy in Venezuela.

To date, over $700 million in assets linked to Maduro have been seized by the U.S. government, including two private jets and nine vehicles, according to Bondi. The State Department continues to call on the international community to support efforts to hold Maduro accountable.