DEA Offers Up to $25 Million for the Arrest of Nicolás Maduro; Reiterates His Leadership of the Cartel de los Soles

With a reward of up to $25 million, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is seeking information leading to the capture of Nicolás Maduro, president of Venezuela.

The measure stems from information revealed by the Department of the Treasury, which links the Venezuelan politician to the leadership of the criminal group, the Cartel of the Suns, and also implicates high-ranking officials of his government.

In a post on X, the DEA announced it is offering $25 million—equivalent to 469 million Mexican pesos—to anyone who provides information useful in the capture of Nicolás Maduro, president of Venezuela.

According to the US authorities, the politician is accused of “narcoterrorism conspiracy, conspiracy to import cocaine, and conspiracy to use and carry machine guns and destructive devices in furtherance of a drug crime.”
This is the second time the US government has offered a reward for Maduro’s arrest.

In January of this year, still under Joe Biden’s administration, it offered $15 to $25 million for his capture, calling Venezuela’s presidential inauguration illegitimate and also citing drug trafficking charges before the US justice system.

The relaunching of the reward is no coincidence. Since returning to power, Trump has hardened his foreign policy toward governments he considers “enemies of the Western order” and has described Maduro as a narco-dictator who turned Venezuela into a criminal base protected by the state.

The strategy includes asset freezes, trade restrictions, a blockade of oil operations, and pressure on Latin American countries that maintain ties with Caracas.

Unlike the diplomatic tone of his predecessor, Joe Biden, the new US administration’s stance has been straightforward, stating that no negotiations are possible with Chavismo while Maduro remains in power.