U.S. Doubles Reward for Venezuelan President Amid Drug‑Trafficking Charges
In a move that underscores its hardline stance on narcoterrorism, the Trump Administration announced a double‑bounty on Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro on Thursday, August 8th, according to several news outlets.
Charges Centered on Cocaine Conspiracy
Maduro faces federal indictment from 2020 alleging conspiracy to import cocaine and participation in narcoterrorist activities. The U.S. charges him as one of the world’s most prolific drug traffickers, claiming he has collaborated with cartels to smuggle fentanyl‑laced cocaine into America.
Attorney General Declares Accountability
Pam Bondi, the Attorney General, addressed the reward in a video statement, stating:
“Under President Trump’s leadership, Maduro will not escape justice, and he will be held accountable for his despicable crimes.”
Link to Terrorist‑Organized Violence
Bondi reiterated that Maduro exploits foreign terrorist organizations, such as TdA, to inflict deadly violence upon the United States. She called him “one of the largest narcotraffickers in the world” and a direct threat to national security.
- Maduro’s alleged drug‑trafficking network threatens U.S. national security.
- Double reward seeks to deter future illicit importation of cocaine.
- Anti‑terrorism rhetoric frames Maduro as a global criminal.
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Maduro Faces U.S. Indictments
In 2020, amid the inaugural Trump administration, Venezuelan leader Maduro was indicted in Manhattan federal court. The charges linked him and several close allies to terrorism rooted in drug trafficking, plus a conspiracy to import cocaine, according to the Guardian.
Reward for Arrest
- Under President Trump, the U.S. offered a $15 million reward for capturing Maduro.
- With President Biden in 2024, the bounty increased to $25 million, matching the reward previously assigned to Osama bin Laden in 2001, a decade after the September 11 attacks.
‘We’re not surprised’ by this ‘desperate distraction’
Maduro dismisses international bounty
Venezuela’s long‑standing leader has shrugged off a newly announced reward, maintaining his dominance in the country for more than ten years.
EU and Latin America protest the 2024 vote
- European Union and several Latin American states have condemned the president’s reelection as a sham.
- Officials argue the electoral process fails to meet democratic standards.
Foreign Minister Yvan Gil’s response
Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yvan Gil described the new bounty as “pathetic” and labeled it “political propaganda.”
Gil added, “We are not surprised, considering the source. It is a desperate attempt to distract from headlines about the backlash over Jeffrey Epstein’s case.”
