Trump Raises the Stakes in Maduro Manhunt
The Trump administration has doubled the reward for the arrest of Venezuela’s president Nicolás Maduro to a staggering $50 million. U.S. officials accuse Maduro of being one of the world’s most prolific narco-traffickers, alleging deep ties with cartels that funnel fentanyl-laced cocaine into American communities.
Attorney General Pam Bondi delivered the announcement in a video statement Thursday, vowing that Maduro “will not escape justice” and promising accountability for what she called “despicable crimes.”
A Longstanding U.S. Pursuit
The criminal case against Maduro began in 2020 during Trump’s first term. Federal prosecutors in Manhattan indicted him and several top allies on charges of narco-terrorism and conspiracy to import cocaine into the United States.
At that time, Washington offered $15 million for his capture. The Biden administration later increased the amount to $25 million—matching the reward once offered for Osama bin Laden’s arrest after the September 11 attacks. Now, Trump has doubled that figure again, marking the highest-ever bounty on a sitting foreign leader.
Maduro Defies Global Pressure
Despite mounting sanctions and diplomatic isolation, Maduro has held power. His 2024 reelection was widely condemned as fraudulent by the U.S., the European Union, and several Latin American nations, many of which recognized his opponent as the rightful president.
Just last month, the Trump administration negotiated the release of 10 Americans detained in Caracas. In exchange, the U.S. returned scores of migrants to El Salvador under Trump’s immigration crackdown. Soon after, Washington allowed oil giant Chevron to resume drilling operations in Venezuela, softening earlier sanctions.
Seized Assets and Drug Trafficking Claims
Bondi revealed that the Justice Department has confiscated more than $700 million in assets linked to Maduro, including two private jets. Authorities also traced nearly seven tons of seized cocaine directly to the Venezuelan leader.
“This is about protecting American lives from poison trafficked under Maduro’s command,” Bondi said.
Venezuela’s Fierce Rebuttal
Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yvan Gil dismissed the $50 million reward as “pathetic,” calling it a “crude political propaganda operation.” He accused Bondi of staging a publicity stunt, referencing her past controversies, including the Justice Department’s recent admission that a rumored “secret list” of Jeffrey Epstein’s clients never existed.
“We’re not surprised,” Gil said. “Her show is a joke, a desperate distraction from her own misery.”
Stay tuned to Maple Wire for the latest developments in U.S.–Venezuela relations, global sanctions, and high-profile international cases.
