The United States has offered a $15 million reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
The move, announced by U.S. authorities, comes amid long-standing accusations against the South American leader of drug trafficking, corruption, and state-sponsored criminal activities.
According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Maduro is being charged with “narco-terrorism,” allegedly facilitating the shipment of hundreds of tons of cocaine into the United States over the years through a criminal network known as the Cartel of the Suns.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated that this decision reflects Washington’s commitment to fighting transnational organized crime, regardless of a perpetrator’s political position or international influence.
The reward was issued under the U.S. State Department’s Narcotics Rewards Program, which has previously been used to target drug lords in Latin America.
While Venezuela has rejected the allegations, calling them politically motivated, the U.S. insists that this action is part of a broader global effort to ensure justice and dismantle narco-dictatorships.
This development is expected to worsen already strained diplomatic ties between Caracas and Washington.
