The administration of former U.S. President Donald Trump officially declared Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and two of his close allies—Diosdado Cabello Rondón and Vladimir Padrino López—wanted for drug trafficking activities.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, the U.S. Department of State announced a total reward of $65 million for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the three Venezuelan officials. A $25 million reward has been offered for Maduro, while Cabello and Padrino carry bounties of $25 million and $15 million, respectively.
U.S. authorities allege that the trio are key figures in the Cartel de los Soles, a criminal organization recently labeled a terrorist group by the U.S. Department of the Treasury. According to officials, the cartel has been actively involved in smuggling narcotics into the United States.
“The @USTreasury has designated Cartel de los Soles a terrorist group. Led by the corrupt and despicable Nicolás Maduro, it is responsible for drug trafficking operations targeting the U.S.,” the State Department said in a post on social media. “Help us take down Maduro and his cronies, Diosdado Cabello Rondón and Vladimir Padrino López!”
A wanted notice released by U.S. authorities labels Maduro as a “designated global terrorist” and a leader of the cartel. The charges against him include conspiracy to commit narco-terrorism, conspiracy to import cocaine, and conspiracy to use and possess machine guns and destructive devices in connection with drug trafficking crimes.
The announcement came just a day after Maduro marked the first anniversary of his controversial re-election—a vote widely condemned by the U.S. and several allied nations as illegitimate.
On Sunday, during Venezuela’s municipal elections, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio harshly criticized Maduro in a social media post. The Venezuelan president responded by publicly insulting Rubio in March, calling him an “imbecile.”
The U.S. government has consistently refused to recognize Maduro’s presidency and has imposed a series of economic and political sanctions aimed at isolating Venezuela’s leadership.
