US hikes reward for Maduro arrest after 'illegitimate' swearing-in

Washington: The United States hiked its reward for information leading to Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro s arrest to $25 million on Friday, sayin...

Washington: The United States hiked its reward for information leading to Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro's arrest to $25 million on Friday, saying his swearing-in was illegitimate after he "clearly lost" last year's election.

"The Venezuelan people and world know the truth -- Maduro clearly lost the 2024 presidential election and has no right to claim the presidency," US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement, shortly after Maduro took the oath of office for a third term.

Blinken called the ceremony "an illegitimate presidential inauguration" as he reiterated Washington's position that exiled opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia was Venezuela's rightful president-elect.

Maximum rewards for information leading to the arrest or conviction of Maduro -- as well as his interior secretary Diosdado Cabello -- were being raised to $25 million, Blinken said.

He also announced a new $15 million reward for Venezuelan defense minister Vladimir Padrino Lopez.