U.S. Increases Reward for Venezuelan President's Arrest to $50 Million Amid Military Deployment

Venezuelan Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza and Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif held a phone conversation to discuss their alliance in response to the threat of U.S. military deployment in the Caribbean, which they view as a danger to regional peace. Venezuela expressed gratitude to Iran for upholding the principles of the UN Charter and reaffirmed its commitment to defending national independence, sovereignty, and self-determination. Venezuela called on the international community to condemn the actions of the United States. The Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs strongly condemned the unilateral coercive measures by the U.S., warning that the use of force against developing independent nations violates the UN Charter and poses a serious threat to international peace and security. Additionally, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi also spoke out, condemning the threats made by the U.S. against Venezuela.

Former U.S. President Donald Trump has increased the reward for the arrest of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro to $50 million. The new bounty doubles the previous reward amount. This announcement was made explicitly by the Trump administration as reported in the article. The reward is being offered for Maduro's arrest.

On Thursday, U.S. officials increased the reward for the arrest of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro from $25 million to $50 million. Attorney General Pam Bondi announced the new reward in a video posted to X, accusing Maduro of using criminal gangs, including Tren de Aragua (TDA) and the Sinaloa Cartel, to bring deadly drugs and violence into the United States. Alongside this, the United States has deployed multiple warships and 4,000 troops to the southern Caribbean near Venezuela's territorial waters in what it says is an anti-drug trafficking operation. In response, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro stated that there is "no way" American troops could invade Venezuela and said the country is prepared to defend its "peace, sovereignty and territorial integrity." The United States has made no public threat to invade, but the deployment and increased bounty come as Washington accuses Maduro of heading the Cartel de los Soles, designated by the Trump administration as a terrorist organization. The Justice Department also seized a plane belonging to Maduro last year, citing a violation of U.S. sanctions. Following a call from Maduro, thousands of Venezuelans have joined the country’s militia in response to perceived threats by the U.S., and Caracas has petitioned the United Nations to demand an immediate cessation of the U.S. military deployment in the Caribbean.