Venezuela’s Drug Cartel Puppet Faces Massive U.S. Bounty Under Trump [WATCH]

The Trump administration on Thursday announced a $50 million reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro.

The decision marks a renewed effort to hold Maduro accountable for his alleged involvement in international drug trafficking operations that have contributed to fentanyl distribution and cartel violence in the United States.

Nicolás Maduro and his cronies think they’re untouchable. They’re wrong. We’re increasing our reward offer for Maduro to up to $50 million. https://t.co/mEomEgWLcT pic.twitter.com/ltq1cdMUji

— US Dept of State INL (@StateINL) August 8, 2025

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Attorney General Pam Bondi made the announcement in a video posted on X, emphasizing the administration’s continued focus on combatting narco-terrorism and holding foreign actors accountable for drug-related crimes that impact American communities.

“Maduro uses foreign terrorist organizations like [Tren de Aragua], Sinaloa and Cartel of the Suns to bring deadly drugs and violence into our country,” Bondi stated.

According to Bondi, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration has seized over 30 tons of cocaine tied to Maduro and his associates.

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Of that, nearly seven tons are reportedly connected directly to Maduro himself.

These seizures represent a significant source of revenue for cartel networks based in Venezuela and Mexico.

Bondi added that the smuggled cocaine is “often laced with fentanyl,” a synthetic opioid responsible for a growing number of overdose deaths in the United States.

“The loss and destruction of countless American lives” is the result, she said.

Today, @TheJusticeDept and @StateDept are announcing a $50 MILLION REWARD for information leading to the arrest of Nicolás Maduro. pic.twitter.com/D8LNqjS9yk

— Attorney General Pamela Bondi (@AGPamBondi) August 7, 2025

Maduro, 62, was first indicted in March 2020 in the Southern District of New York.

The charges include narco-terrorism, conspiracy to import cocaine into the United States, possession of machine guns and destructive devices, and conspiracy to possess machine guns and destructive devices.

In response to the federal indictment, President Trump’s first-term administration initially offered a $15 million reward for Maduro’s capture.

That reward was later increased to $25 million by the State Department on January 10, during the former Biden-Harris administration.

On Thursday, the Trump administration doubled that amount to $50 million.

“The DOJ has seized over $700 million of Maduro linked assets, including two private jets, nine vehicles and more,” Bondi said.

“Yet Maduro’s reign of terror continues.”

Bondi described Maduro as “one of the largest narco traffickers in the world, and a threat to our national security.”

The Cartel of the Suns, reportedly led by high-ranking Venezuelan military officials, is believed to operate in coordination with other transnational criminal organizations.

Tren de Aragua, a powerful Venezuelan gang, and Mexico’s Sinaloa Cartel have also been named in the U.S. government’s broader effort to dismantle drug trafficking networks with ties to Maduro’s regime.

Bondi concluded with a message of accountability under President Trump’s leadership.

“Under President Trump’s leadership, Maduro will not escape justice, and he will be held accountable for his despicable crimes,” she said.

The $50 million reward is part of an expanded strategy to dismantle Maduro’s influence and cripple the drug operations that have fueled cartel violence and the fentanyl crisis in the United States.