Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yvan Gil slammed Attorney General Pam Bondi after increasing the reward for information leading to the arrest of the country's authoritarian president, Nicolas Maduro.
In a message on a Telegram channel, Gil called the decision "pathetic" and a "political propaganda operation."
"While we take down terrorist plots being organized in his country, this woman (Bondi) comes up with a media show to please the defeated far-right in Venezuela. We are not surprised, considering who it comes from. The same person who promised a non-existent 'secret list'," Gil added, a reference to the Jeffrey Epstein files.
He went on to say the announcement was a "joke" and a "desperate distraction from their own miseries." Gil added that Venezuela's dignity "is not up for sale."
On Thursday, Bondi raised the reward for information leading to Maduro's arrest to $50 million, saying he "will not escape justice and he will be held accountable for his despicable crimes."
She also noted that the Justice Department has seized over $700 million in assets linked to Maduro, including private jets, and traced nearly 7 tons of cocaine directly to him.
Maduro was indicted in a 2020 Manhattan federal court on charges of narco-terrorism and conspiracy to import cocaine, with an original $15 million U.S. bounty. The Biden administration later raised it to $25 million, matching the amount offered for Osama bin Laden's capture. Despite the high rewards and international condemnation of his 2024 reelection as illegitimate, Maduro remains in power.
The development comes as President Donald Trump reportedly approved the use of military force against Latin American cartels designated as terrorist organizations. This could open the door to attacking Maduro, considering the administration designated the Venezuelan Cartel de los Soles to the list of global terrorist group, claiming Maduro and other high-ranking officials lead the cartel.
The New York Times explained that the decision is the most aggressive step taken by the administration, illustrating Trump's willingness to crack down on criminal organizations. It added that the order provides an official basis to conduct military operations at sea and on foreign soil.
Military officials have begun drawing up options, but no clear operations are detailed. Responding to questions about the decision, White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly said "President Trump's top priority is protecting the homeland, which is why he took the bold step to designate several cartels and gangs as foreign terrorist organizations."
© 2025 Latin Times. All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
