President in a million: the United States announced a reward for the arrest of Nicolas Maduro

On Friday, August 8, it became known that the United States announced a $50 million reward for information that could lead to the capture and arrest of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. This was stated by U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi in a televised address posted on her page on the social network X. Read more about the award, as well as why the United States refuses to recognize Maduro as the legitimate leader of the country, in the Izvestia article.

The reward for Maduro's arrest: what is known

On the evening of August 7 (August 8 GMT), a televised message was posted on the page of US Attorney General Pam Bondy on the social network X, in which she announced a reward of $50 million for information that would help arrest Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.

This is not the first attempt by the United States to detain the Venezuelan leader. Over the past five years, Washington has been offering various amounts of remuneration. The reward was first announced in March 2020, when Maduro's arrest was worth $15 million. The Venezuelan president was accused of "drug terrorism", conspiracy to smuggle cocaine and possession of weapons. In January 2025, after Maduro's re-election to the highest state post, the amount increased to $25 million: the US government refused to recognize the election results. Now the amount is doubled.

"Maduro uses foreign terrorist organizations such as TdA (Tren de Aragua), Sinaloa and the Cartel of the Suns to bring lethal drugs into our country," Bondi explains his decision.

The United States accuses Maduro of allegedly heading the "Cartel of the Suns" responsible for drug trafficking in the United States for more than a decade. On July 25 of this year, the US Treasury Department added him to the list of particularly dangerous international terrorists.

"He is one of the largest drug traffickers in the world and poses a threat to our national security," Bondi said.

In response, the Venezuelan Ministry of Foreign Affairs called the announcement of the award a "circus" and a desperate attempt by the United States to distract attention from internal problems. This was written by Foreign Minister Ivan Khil in his Telegram channel.

A "pathetic" reward" Pamela Bondi is the most ridiculous smokescreen we've ever seen. While we are exposing terrorist plots organized from her country, this lady is staging a media circus to please the defeated far—right of Venezuela," he wrote.

He also added that Bondi's "show" is "a farce and a desperate attempt to distract attention from their own troubles."

What is the US accusing Nicolas Maduro of?

The website of the US State Department reports that Maduro allegedly first helped manage the "Cartel of the Suns" and then headed it. After coming to power, he, in particular, participated in a corrupt and brutal drug-terrorist conspiracy with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). In addition, other illegal actions attributed to the President of Venezuela in the United States are listed:

— Maduro allegedly negotiated multi-ton shipments of cocaine produced by the FARC;

— I instructed the "Cartel of the Suns" to supply the FARC with military-grade weapons;

— allegedly coordinated actions with drug traffickers in Honduras and other countries to facilitate large-scale drug trafficking;

— I enlisted the help of the FARC leadership in the preparation of an unauthorized paramilitary group, which, according to the United States, functioned as an armed unit of the Cartel of the Suns.

At the same time, the United States still does not recognize Maduro as the legitimate president of Venezuela.

Nicolas Maduro first led Venezuela in 2013 and was re-elected twice, in 2018 and 2024. In the last elections, held in July 2024, he won just under 52% of the popular vote.

On the day of his inauguration, the United States refused to recognize the election results. US President Donald Trump defended the opposition forces in the country and recognized Edmundo Gonzalez as the elected head of state, and called Maduro a dictator.

A few years earlier, in 2019, after Maduro's election victory and the subsequent opposition protests, the White House named President Juan Guaido, the speaker of the legislative assembly, who declared himself interim head of state.

Guaido created his own government, whose members he declared "presidential commissioners." Following the United States, Guaido began to be recognized by many other countries of the world. Despite this, Guaido's popularity gradually declined, and in 2021, the European Union announced that it no longer considered Guaido the interim leader of Venezuela.

At the same time, Russia recognized the elections in Venezuela. The Russian Foreign Ministry noted that they are an internal matter of the country.

As Izvestia previously reported, cartels, including Venezuelan ones, are among the sources where the United States recruits fighters to be sent to Ukraine.