US hikes Maduro prize to USD25 million

(MENAFN) The US has increased the reward for information leading to the arrest of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro to $25 million, up from $15 million in 2020, the US Treasury announced on Friday. This decision is part of a broader package of sanctions and travel bans targeting Venezuelan officials. The US has refused to recognize Maduro’s victory in the controversial July 2024 presidential election, which it claims was rigged. Secretary of State Antony Blinken alleged that opposition candidate Edmundo González was the true winner.

In addition to the reward for Maduro, the US also offered $25 million for information on Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello and $15 million for Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino López. Both are accused of being involved in human rights violations and repression. Several other Venezuelan officials, including key figures from the state-owned oil company PDVSA and the transportation ministry, have also been sanctioned.

The US has consistently criticized Maduro’s government, and in December, US official Francisco Palmieri gave Caracas an ultimatum, demanding Maduro step down before his inauguration. Maduro, a vocal critic of US foreign policy, rejected these demands, accusing the US of meddling in Venezuela’s affairs and backing corrupt leaders in Latin America to harm his government.

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