U.S. raises bounty for Maduro amid global criticism
The United States has announced an increase in the reward to $25 (€24.5) million for information leading to the arrest of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. The U.S. accuses him of "narcoterrorism."
This decision coincided with his inauguration for a third term. The inauguration ceremony was overshadowed by criticism from the international community and the Venezuelan opposition.
The U.S. accused Maduro and other high-ranking officials of "narcoterrorism" in 2020, alleging they were flooding the U.S. with cocaine. Maduro was charged by the U.S. Department of Justice with corruption, drug trafficking, and collaboration with terrorist organisations. Maduro, naturally, rejects these accusations, claiming that U.S. sanctions are the cause of Venezuela's economic crisis.
In addition to the financial reward for Maduro, the U.S. also offers money for information regarding the Minister of Interior Diosdado Cabello and Minister of Defence Vladimir Padrino. Meanwhile, the United Kingdom has imposed sanctions on 15 top Venezuelan officials, including judges and members of security forces. These sanctions are a response to the violation of democracy and human rights in the country.
The results of the elections in Venezuela on 28th July were widely rejected by the international community, including neighbouring Brazil and Colombia. The opposition and many countries, including the U.S., recognised Edmundo González as the legitimate president-elect. González is in exile in Spain, although he is currently travelling across the Americas seeking support.
Nicolás Maduro is a Venezuelan politician who has served as the President of Venezuela since 2013. He was born on 23rd November 1962, in Caracas, and before engaging in politics, he worked as a bus driver and later was actively involved in trade unions.
Maduro was a close associate of Hugo Chávez, the leader of the Venezuelan socialist revolution, for many years. From 2006 to 2013, he served as Minister of Foreign Affairs and was then appointed Vice President. After Chávez's death in 2013, Maduro assumed the presidency, winning the election by a narrow margin. His presidency has been controversial from the start, and the situation worsened after subsequent elections in 2018, which the international community, including many Western countries, deemed unfair.
In 2024, Nicolás Maduro again declared victory, claiming to have received over 60% of the votes according to official results. These results were immediately challenged by the opposition and parts of the international community, who considered them not reflective of the citizens' true will. The opposition pointed to low voter turnout and numerous instances of fraud.
