WORLD NEWS – Venezuelan President Maduro warns Trump over $50 million bounty on his head, threatens “end of the U.S. empire”

Ananya Roy, News Writer

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro issued a sharp warning to the Trump administration after the U.S. increased the reward for his capture to $50 million. Surrounded by political allies and military leaders, Maduro cautioned Washington: “Don’t you dare, because the answer can be the end of the U.S. empire. I am a man of peace.”

Army Chief Domingo Hernández Lárez denounced the bounty, calling it an insult to Venezuela’s armed forces, while reaffirming loyalty to Maduro as commander-in-chief. The reward hike, announced by Attorney General Pam Bondi, comes alongside the seizure of $700 million in assets tied to Maduro and accusations linking him to nearly seven tons of cocaine.

First indicted in 2020 on narco-terrorism and cocaine import conspiracy charges, Maduro’s bounty has steadily risen from $15 million under the Trump administration to $25 million under Biden, and now to $50 million. The Justice Department alleges Maduro leads the Cartel de los Soles, designated as a global terrorist organization.

The latest escalation follows reports that President Trump authorized military action against Latin American cartels, potentially paving the way for strikes on Maduro’s regime. In response, Colombian President Gustavo Petro warned that any U.S. military attack on Venezuela would be considered an attack on Colombia, urging both nations to combat drug trafficking jointly without violating sovereignty.

Despite mounting international pressure and the disputed legitimacy of his 2024 reelection, Maduro remains firmly in power with military backing at home.