The United States government has officially declared Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and two of his closest allies Diosdado Cabello Rondón and Vladimir Padrino López wanted for drug trafficking and narco-terrorism-related crimes.
In a statement released Tuesday via social media, the U.S. Department of State announced fresh sanctions targeting the “Cartel de los Soles,” a group it labeled as a terrorist organization allegedly led by Maduro himself.
“@USTreasury just sanctioned Cartel de los Soles as a terrorist group. Run by the corrupt and contemptible Nicolás Maduro, it is responsible for trafficking drugs into the U.S.,” the statement read.
The Department of State also published wanted posters for the trio, labelling Maduro as a “designated global terrorist cartel de los soles leader.”
A reward of $25 million has been offered for information leading to his arrest and conviction.
Maduro is wanted in connection with multiple charges, including narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy, and conspiracy to use and carry machine guns and destructive devices in connection with drug trafficking.
His associates, Cabello Rondón and Padrino López, are also wanted, with U.S. authorities offering $25 million and $15 million respectively for information that leads to their arrests and convictions.
The move follows a wave of mounting U.S. pressure against the Venezuelan government, coming just one day after Maduro celebrated the anniversary of his most recent presidential election victory, an election the U.S. and several allied nations regard as illegitimate.
Meanwhile, tensions between both countries continue to escalate. On Sunday, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio criticised Maduro in a scathing post on X during Venezuela’s municipal elections.
In return, Maduro has previously lashed out at Rubio, calling him an “imbecile” in March.
The U.S. has long refused to recognise Maduro’s presidency and continues to impose sanctions on Venezuela, targeting top government officials and state-linked entities