The United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) reiterated this Friday that a substantial reward remains in place for any information leading to the arrest of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and other senior members of his regime. These individuals face accusations of orchestrating a criminal network linked to international narcoterrorism.
This announcement follows a recent move by the Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), which officially designated the Cartel of the Sun—a Venezuelan criminal organization allegedly headed by Maduro, Diosdado Cabello, and Vladimir Padrino López—as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist entity (SDGT).
"These measures further reveal how Maduro's illegitimate regime facilitates narcoterrorism through groups like the Cartel of the Sun," Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stated in a communication posted on X.
The reward, initially set between $15 million and $25 million in January, applies to both the Venezuelan leader and his influential Interior Minister, Diosdado Cabello. According to the official statement, the Cartel of the Sun has provided material support to two of the most violent and active criminal networks in the Western Hemisphere: the Tren de Aragua, based in Venezuela, and the Sinaloa Cartel from Mexico. Both entities have been designated by the United States as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTO).
The charges against these networks encompass drug trafficking, human trafficking, extortion, child sexual exploitation, and money laundering, among other crimes. The sanctions stipulate that all assets and properties of the targeted individuals located in the United States or under U.S. jurisdiction will be frozen. Moreover, any transactions involving the sanctioned individuals are prohibited, and foreign financial institutions that support them could face secondary sanctions.
On January 10, the United States increased the reward for information leading to the capture of both Nicolás Maduro, the Venezuelan president, and the influential Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello, raising it to $25 million each.
Key Questions About the DEA's Actions Against Maduro
What is the reward amount for information on Nicolás Maduro?
The reward for information leading to Nicolás Maduro's arrest is set between $15 million and $25 million.
What organizations are linked to the Cartel of the Sun according to the DEA?
The Cartel of the Sun is linked to the Tren de Aragua in Venezuela and the Sinaloa Cartel from Mexico.
What are the implications of the OFAC sanctions?
The sanctions mean that all U.S.-based assets of the individuals targeted will be frozen, and transactions with them are forbidden. Foreign banks aiding them could face secondary sanctions.