On Thursday, August 7, 2025, the United States government announced it had doubled the reward for information leading to the arrest of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, raising it to $50 million. Attorney General Pam Bondi led the charges against the leader, calling him one of the world’s largest drug traffickers and describing him as a direct threat to the United States national security.
Bondi stated that investigations by the Department of Justice and the DEA have seized over 30 tons of cocaine linked to Maduro and his circle. Authorities have also confiscated assets worth more than $700 million, including private jets and a fleet of luxury vehicles. She further accused him of maintaining ties with criminal groups such as the Cartel of the Suns, Tren de Aragua, and the Sinaloa Cartel, working alongside them to traffic drugs into the U.S.
The announcement drew swift reactions from the international community and Caracas. Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yván Gil dismissed the move as a “media circus” and “political propaganda,” claiming it was an operation designed to destabilize the country.
What were the main reasons given by the U.S. for doubling the reward for Nicolás Maduro’s capture?
The U.S. raised the reward to $50 million, alleging that Maduro leads drug trafficking networks involving the Cartel of the Suns, Tren de Aragua, and the Sinaloa Cartel. Authorities have seized over 30 tons of cocaine connected to his circle and confiscated assets worth more than $700 million, including planes and luxury vehicles, prompting Washington to escalate legal and diplomatic pressure against him.