The United States government has officially declared Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro wanted for drug trafficking, placing a $25 million reward on him as part of a broader crackdown on what it describes as a narco-terrorist network operating at the highest levels of the Venezuelan government.
In a statement released Tuesday, the U.S. Department of State also announced bounties on two of Maduro’s top allies—Diosdado Cabello Rondón and Vladimir Padrino López—offering $25 million and $15 million respectively for information leading to their arrest and conviction.
The trio are accused of playing leading roles in the Cartel de los Soles, a group the U.S. Treasury Department recently designated as a terrorist organization.
According to U.S. authorities, the cartel is responsible for smuggling massive quantities of narcotics into the United States.
“@USTreasury just sanctioned Cartel de los Soles as a terrorist group. Run by the corrupt and contemptible Nicolás Maduro, it is responsible for trafficking drugs into the U.S.,” the State Department wrote on X.
It added: “Help us take down Maduro and his cronies Diosdado Cabello Rondón & Vladimir Padrino López!”
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A wanted notice issued by the U.S. describes President Maduro as a “designated global terrorist cartel de los soles leader,” listing charges including narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy, and conspiracy to use and carry machine guns and destructive devices in furtherance of a drug crime.
The announcement comes just one day after Maduro celebrated the anniversary of his re-election—a vote the U.S. and several allies have denounced as fraudulent.
Washington has consistently refused to recognize Maduro’s presidency and has imposed a range of sanctions targeting Venezuela’s political and military leadership.
The latest bounty echoes a similar move in January when the U.S. issued a reward for Maduro’s arrest on the very day he was sworn in for a third six-year term.
That inauguration was marred by widespread international condemnation and boycotts from Venezuelan opposition figures.
Meanwhile, the United Kingdom has also imposed sanctions on 15 senior Venezuelan officials, including members of the judiciary, security forces, and military hierarchy, intensifying global pressure on Maduro’s regime.