Part 10/16:
In 2017, US prosecutors went so far as to charge Maduro with drug trafficking—offering a $10 million bounty for his capture. This move turned Venezuela’s president into a wanted man in the eyes of Washington. Sanctions shut off oil exports, slashed government revenue, and starved the regime of resources. Despite these pressures, Maduro turned to clandestine networks—smuggling drugs, gold, and oil—keeping his regime afloat with the help of loyalists.