The United States has doubled its reward offer for information leading to the arrest of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, raising it from $25 million to $50 million, a move announced via a video statement by Attorney General Pam Bondi on August 7, 2025. Bondi accused Maduro of being among the world’s most notorious narco-traffickers, alleging his cooperation with criminal organizations such as Tren de Aragua, the Sinaloa Cartel, and Cartel de los Soles to flood the U.S. with fentanyl-laced cocaine.
Bondi emphasized that under President Trump’s leadership, Maduro “will not escape justice,” and urged anyone with relevant intelligence to reach out through a DEA hotline. U.S. authorities have reportedly seized over $700 million in assets connected to Maduro, including two private jets, nine vehicles and confiscated tons of cocaine linked directly to him.
The Venezuelan government swiftly denounced the reward as a politically motivated “smokescreen.” Foreign Minister Yvan Gil branded it “political propaganda,” accusing Attorney General Bondi of deflecting from controversies including the Epstein case. The reaction extended beyond Venezuelan officials: Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum stated that her government has “no evidence” linking Maduro to the Sinaloa Cartel, demanding proof if the U.S. wants to substantiate its allegations.
Maduro, who has headed Venezuela since 2013, was indicted in a U.S. federal court in March 2020 on narco terrorism and drug trafficking charges. Initial offers for information on his arrest began at $15 million in 2020, were raised to $25 million following his contested 2024 re-election, and now stand at $50 million. Despite these escalating efforts, Maduro remains firmly in power, his presidency certified domestically even as it remains unrecognized by the U.S., the EU, and multiple Latin American nations.
This dramatic incentive underscores the Trump administration’s intensified campaign to isolate Maduro internationally, framing him as a clear and present threat to U.S. national security through alleged ties to narco terrorism.
