Trump Raises Reward to $50 Million for Arrest of Venezuela’s President on US Drug Charges

The Trump administration has doubled its reward for the arrest of Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro to $50 million, accusing him of being a major narco-trafficker working with drug cartels to flood the U.S. with fentanyl-laced cocaine.

“Under President Trump’s leadership, Maduro will not escape justice and he will be held accountable for his despicable crimes,” Attorney General Pam Bondi said Thursday in a video announcing the increased bounty.

Maduro was indicted in a Manhattan federal court in 2020, during Trump’s first term, along with several close allies on charges of narco-terrorism and conspiracy to import cocaine. The original U.S. reward was $15 million, later raised to $25 million under the Biden administration — an amount equal to the bounty offered for Osama bin Laden after the 9/11 attacks.

Despite the hefty reward, Maduro remains firmly in power, defying the U.S., European Union, and many Latin American countries that condemned his 2024 reelection as fraudulent and recognized his opponent as Venezuela’s legitimate president.

Last month, the Trump administration secured the release of 10 Americans imprisoned in Caracas in exchange for Venezuela accepting the return of migrants deported from the U.S. to El Salvador during Trump’s immigration crackdown. Shortly thereafter, the White House reversed previous sanctions and allowed U.S. oil company Chevron to resume drilling operations in Venezuela.

Bondi highlighted that the Justice Department has seized over $700 million in assets linked to Maduro, including two private jets, and traced 7 million tons of seized cocaine directly back to the Venezuelan leader.

Maduro’s office did not immediately respond to requests for comment.