Key Takeaways
- Former President Joe Biden’s old social media post has sparked debate after the US captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife in a surprise attack.
- Biden had previously offered a reward for Maduro’s capture, which was increased to $50 million under the Trump administration.
- The Biden administration had accused Maduro’s government of "electoral manipulation" and offered temporary legal status to people who fled his regime.
- The US has been imposing sanctions on Venezuela since 2005, with the Biden administration lifting some oil sanctions in 2023 as part of an agreement with the Maduro government.
- Maduro and his wife pleaded not guilty to felony charges including drug trafficking and money laundering in a federal court in New York City.
Introduction to the Debate
An old social media post by former President Joe Biden has sparked debate after the United States captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife in a surprise attack on the oil-rich country. Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, appeared in federal court in New York City on January 5 and pleaded not guilty to felony charges including drug trafficking and money laundering less than two days after US troops seized them. The attack on Venezuela and capture of Maduro followed months of increasing tensions and military buildup in the region by President Donald Trump’s administration. Biden’s June 20, 2020, post on X, then known as Twitter, reads, "Trump talks tough on Venezuela, but admires thugs and dictators like Nicolas Maduro. As President, I will stand with the Venezuelan people and for democracy."
Biden’s Stance on Maduro and Venezuela
Biden’s stance on Maduro and Venezuela has been consistent over the years. In 2020, during Trump’s first term in office, the Justice Department offered a reward of $15 million for information leading to Maduro’s arrest or conviction on drug trafficking and weapons charges. In January 2025, the Biden administration upped the bounty on Maduro to $25 million. Later that year, the reward was increased to $50 million under Trump. At a news conference after Maduro’s capture on January 3, Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio indicated that nobody would be paid the reward money. Biden’s administration had also accused Maduro’s government of "electoral manipulation" and offered temporary legal status to people who fled his regime.
Maduro’s Election and Biden’s Response
Maduro, 63, has led Venezuela since 2013, when he became president as the hand-picked successor of Hugo Chavez. Maduro was in his third consecutive term as president after claiming victory in a 2024 election that was widely condemned by international observers, including the Biden administration, as fraudulent. In July 2024, Biden administration officials accused the Venezuelan government of "electoral manipulation." The following month, when asked whether he supported a new election in Venezuela, Biden responded, "I do," according to Barrons. That same day, during an August 15, 2024, news conference, Biden State Department spokesman Vedant Patel said Venezuela’s election committee "fell short of basic transparency and integrity measures and it didn’t follow national legal and regulatory provisions."
Venezuelan Asylum-Seekers and Biden’s Policy
In March 2021, the Biden administration announced it would offer temporary legal status to people who fled Maduro’s regime. The move offered protections to as many as 300,000 Venezuelans who had been living in the U.S. At the time, Biden’s Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas said Venezuela was a country "in turmoil, unable to protect its own citizens” and dealing with crises of hunger, malnutrition, and a growing presence of violent militia groups. Shortly before the end of his first term in January 2021, Trump signed an executive order that deferred the removal of more than 145,000 Venezuelans for 18 months.
Sanctions and Prisoner Swap
The US has been imposing various sanctions on Venezuela since 2005, according to the Congressional Research Service. In 2023, the Biden administration agreed to lift some oil sanctions on Venezuela as part of an agreement with the Maduro government to ensure free and fair elections. That December, Biden’s administration released a Maduro ally from US custody in exchange for 10 Americans detained in Venezuela and the return of a notorious fugitive who had fled the US. The Biden administration reinstated oil sanctions in April 2024, saying Maduro had not lived up to his promise of free elections.
Conclusion and Current Developments
In conclusion, the capture of Nicolas Maduro and his wife has sparked debate and highlighted the complex relationship between the US and Venezuela. Biden’s old social media post has been criticized, and his administration’s policies on Venezuela have been scrutinized. The US has been imposing sanctions on Venezuela since 2005, and the Biden administration has offered temporary legal status to people who fled Maduro’s regime. The current situation in Venezuela remains uncertain, and the US government’s next steps will be closely watched. USA TODAY has reached out to Biden’s team for comment, and the situation continues to unfold.