The US is pledging up to $25 million to help arrest the Venezuelan president

The United States is ready to offer a reward of up to $25 million to help arrest “self-proclaimed president of Venezuela” Nicolás Maduro and Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello. The statement is posted on the website of the US Department of Finance.

A reward of up to $15 million is also being offered for assistance in the arrest of Venezuelan Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino.

Washington made a similar statement back in 2020, promising a reward of up to $15 million when the US Department of Justice accused Maduro of drug trafficking and corruption.

“The people of Venezuela deserve a transparent, accountable, representative government that will serve the people and not hire government officials who engage in drug trafficking,” the State Department declared.

The US authorities did not recognize Maduro’s victory in the 2018 presidential elections and do not consider him a legitimate president. The reward for his arrest was increased on January 10 of this year, the day of his inauguration for the third presidential term.

At the same time, the US Treasury has imposed sanctions against a number of Venezuelan individuals and companies that support the Maduro regime.

Nicolás Maduro re-assumed the post of president of Venezuela for a 7-year term in July of this year, accompanied by bloody clashes. After the Central Electoral Commission’s announcement of Maduro’s victory on July 30, thousands of people took to the streets in various cities of the country, including the capital Caracas, demanding the resignation of the incumbent president, who received more than 51 percent of the vote according to official data.

The European Union and the Organization of American States also question the official results of the presidential elections.