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US Govt Increases Bounty For Sitting President Declared Wanted.
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Washington accuses him of leading narco-terror group Cartel de los Soles.
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US rejects his 2024 election victory, says he clings to power unlawfully.
The United States government has raised the reward for information leading to the arrest or conviction of Venezuela’s President, Nicolás Maduro, to $50 million.
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EKO HOT BLOG reports that the announcement, made Thursday by the US Department of State and Department of Justice under the Narcotics Rewards Programme, marks a significant escalation in Washington’s pursuit of the Venezuelan leader.
US authorities accuse Maduro of heading the Cartel de los Soles for more than a decade, alleging the organisation has trafficked large quantities of illegal drugs into the United States. The US Treasury Department has designated the cartel a Specially Designated Global Terrorist organisation.
According to American officials, Maduro has consistently undermined democracy in Venezuela and clung to power unlawfully.
They reject his claim of victory in the country’s July 2024 presidential election, insisting there is no credible evidence to support the results and refusing to recognise him as Venezuela’s legitimate president.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, in a post on Friday morning, stated: “@StateDept and @TheJusticeDept are increasing the reward for the arrest of dictator Nicolás Maduro to $50 million for violating US narcotics laws.
Maduro is the head of the vicious Cartel de Los Soles, a narco-terror organisation which has taken over Venezuela. Maduro MUST be brought to justice.”
