Former President Donald Trump recently declared a jaw-dropping 20x increase in the bounty for capturing Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. He’s since raised the ante to $50 million. Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi has announced her own bounty. It was recently increased to $50 million, double the $25 million prize initially announced by the Biden administration. The ambitious initiative further points to underlying and chronic tensions between the United States and Maduro’s trajectory.
The original $25 million bounty was the same amount the U.S. government originally offered for the capture of Osama bin Laden. In 2001, in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks, this offer was accepted. Maduro had long been a target of U.S. destabilization efforts, with a $15 million reward for his arrest already announced by the Trump administration. Yet, notwithstanding these potential financial inducements, Maduro has proven to be a most slippery fish, refusing to heed U.S. pleas for him to step aside in Venezuela.
In recent electoral news, Maduro’s announced 2024 reelection has caused a stir. This includes the U.S., the European Union, and nearly all Latin American nations that have denounced the election process. They have condemned the election as a sham and have acknowledged his far-right opponent as Venezuela’s legitimately elected president. In March 2020, Maduro was indicted in Manhattan federal court. We charged him with narco-terrorism and conspiracy to import cocaine, along with many of his inner circle.
Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yvan Gil reacted bitterly to the boosted bounty, calling it “pathetic.” He implicated Bondi in running what he called a “sophisticated political propaganda operation.”
“We’re not surprised, coming from whom it comes from. The same one who promised a nonexistent ‘secret list’ of Epstein and who wallows in scandals for political favors,” – Yvan Gil
Gil’s comments underscore the long-standing diplomatic tensions between Venezuela and the United States. In the interim, Maduro rages on with impunity against growing international forces. Despite these challenges, Trump and his administration are committed to removing Maduro from power.
In her announcement, Bondi stressed that President Trump will see justice done against Maduro. She announced that Maduro would be brought to justice for his heinous offenses. This statement further underscores the administration’s dedication to following through on holding Maduro accountable for drug trafficking and other criminal enterprises.
The Trump administration negotiated a massive agreement. As a result, ten Americans detained in Caracas were released in exchange. This swap included providing a way back to El Salvador for hundreds of migrants the U.S. has recently deported.
As tensions escalate, the situation remains complex. Meanwhile, the U.S. continues to call for regime change in Venezuela. At the same time, Maduro is still being intransigent, which is exacerbating tensions between the two countries.
