The United States has doubled its reward for information leading to the arrest of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro to $50 million, accusing him of being “one of the world’s largest drug traffickers”, the BBC reports.
US President Donald Trump, a vocal critic of Maduro, has condemned the Venezuelan leader’s return to power in January’s disputed elections, which were widely denounced by the international community over allegations of vote-rigging.
US Attorney General Pam Bondi announced the bounty increase from $25 million, claiming Maduro has direct ties to drug trafficking operations.
Venezuela’s Foreign Minister Yvan Gil dismissed the move as “pathetic” and branded it “political propaganda.” He accused Bondi of attempting to distract from news coverage of the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein’s case, saying: “We are not surprised, considering the source.”
During Trump’s first term, his administration charged Maduro and other senior Venezuelan officials with a range of crimes, including narcoterrorism, corruption, and drug trafficking. Maduro also faces sanctions from the United Kingdom and the European Union following his disputed return to office earlier this year.
