US Announces $25 Million Reward for Arrest of Venezuelan President Maduro
The US government has announced a $25 million reward for the arrest or conviction of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, who is set to be inaugurated for a third five-year term in office. This is an increase from the $15 million reward announced by the State Department in 2020, following Maduro’s indictment on narco-terrorism and other charges.
In addition to the reward, the US Treasury has issued sanctions against eight Venezuelan economic and security officials, including the state oil company chief, who are accused of enabling Maduro’s repression and subversion of democracy in Venezuela.
Maduro’s government has been cracking down on the opposition, with hundreds arrested and many forced into hiding or exile. Opposition leader María Corina Machado was briefly detained after making a surprise appearance at a rally in Caracas.
Despite the efforts of opposition candidate Edmundo González, who claims he will soon arrive in Venezuela to assume the presidency, analysts believe his odds of securing power are low due to the army’s support for Maduro and an ambivalent position from the incoming US administration.
“The US is making a statement, but it’s unclear what this means in practical terms,” said an analyst. “Long odds, but no dictatorship lasts forever.”
