The Trump administration on Thursday doubled the reward for the arrest of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that the reward was now set at $50 million, according to a news release on the Department of State’s website.

“For over a decade, Maduro has been a leader of Cartel de los Soles, which is responsible for trafficking drugs into the United States,” Rubio said.

“On July 25, 2025, the U.S. Department of the Treasury designated Cartel de Los Soles as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist.”

“Since 2020, Maduro has strangled democracy and grasped at power in Venezuela,” Rubio continued.

“Maduro claimed to have won Venezuela’s July 28, 2024, presidential election but failed to present any evidence that he had prevailed.  The United States has refused to recognize Maduro as the winner of 2024 election and does not recognize him as the President of Venezuela.”

Today, @TheJusticeDept and @StateDept are announcing a $50 MILLION REWARD for information leading to the arrest of Nicolás Maduro. pic.twitter.com/D8LNqjS9yk

— Attorney General Pamela Bondi (@AGPamBondi) August 7, 2025

In a video posted on X. Attorney General Pam Bondi accused Maduro of staging a “reign of terror.”

“Maduro uses foreign terrorist organizations, like TdA, Sinaloa and Cartel of the Suns, to bring deadly drugs and violence into our country,”  she said, referring to the Tren de Aragua gang.

“To date, the DEA has seized 30 tons of cocaine linked to Maduro and his associates, with nearly seven tons linked to Maduro himself, which represents a primary source of income for the deadly cartels based in Venezuela and Mexico.”

“Cocaine is often laced with fentanyl, resulting in the loss and destruction of countless American lives,” she said, noting that the Justice Department has seized more than $700 million in assets linked to Maduro.

“He is one of the largest narco-traffickers in the world, and a threat to our national security,” she explained.

“Under President Trump’s leadership, Maduro will not escape justice, and he will be held accountable for his despicable crimes.

“If you have any information to bring this criminal to justice, call 1-202-307-4228 or go online.”

In March 2020, Maduro was indicted on charges related to “narco-terrorism, conspiracy to import cocaine, possession of machine guns and destructive devices, and conspiracy to possess machine guns and destructive devices,” according to the New York Post.

President Donald Trump set a $15 million bounty on Maduro that year, which was raised to $25 million during the Biden administration.

Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yvan Gil said the new reward was “pathetic,” calling it “political propaganda,” according to the BBC.

 Maduro has led Venezuela since 2013.