US offers $5 million for Venezuelan gang leader amid rising tensions

The United States government escalated its campaign against a major Venezuelan criminal organization on Wednesday, announcing a $5 million reward for information leading to the capture of alleged gang leader Giovanni Vicente Mosquera Serrano. The target, who oversees the Tren de Aragua gang's international drug and financial networks, is also listed on the FBI's Ten Most Wanted list.

Concurrent Sanctions and Venezuelan Pushback

In a coordinated move, the U.S. Treasury Department imposed new sanctions on key financial operatives of Tren de Aragua for money laundering activities. This financial pressure follows the Trump administration's controversial decision late last month to formally designate another Venezuelan group, the Cartel de los Soles, as a foreign terrorist organization. The government in Caracas dismissed that designation as "ridiculous," calling the cartel "nonexistent" and accusing Washington of political theatrics.

Broader Regional Military Buildup

These legal and financial actions occur against a backdrop of significant U.S. military expansion across Latin America. For months, the U.S. has deployed Marines, warships, aircraft, and submarines to the region, fueling widespread speculation about a potential military intervention in Venezuela. The official U.S. justification centers on accusations that the Venezuelan state is facilitating drug trafficking and sending criminals toward American borders.

Venezuela's Response and Regional Tensions

Venezuelan leaders have consistently rejected the drug trafficking allegations, framing them as a manufactured pretext for Washington's ultimate goal of forcing a regime change in Caracas. The dual strategy of offering multi-million dollar bounties on gang leaders while ramping up military presence underscores the deepening conflict between the two nations, moving beyond diplomacy into the realms of law enforcement, financial warfare, and overt military posturing.