In a fiery twist of political theater, far-right activist Laura Loomer unleashed a scathing tirade against the Department of Justice after it doubled the bounty on Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro from $25 million to $50 million.

"I won $50 million," Loomer quipped mockingly on social media, reacting to US Special Counsel Pam Bondi’s announcement Thursday that the DOJ was escalating efforts to apprehend Maduro over longstanding federal narco-trafficking charges.

Loomer, a staunch Trump loyalist and controversial MAGA figure, ridiculed the announcement, claiming it was pure political performance. “He [Maduro] is such a wanted man that the Trump admin even sent their own special envoy and other officials to meet with him. He told them he was a fan of Trump and wanted to hand over evidence of machine election fraud in the 2020 election,” she wrote.

Questioning the Justice Department’s intent, Loomer added, “So they want to pretend like they don’t know where Maduro is instead of just talking to him? They were with him less than a month ago… This is some insane gaslighting. I need to get paid. Send me my $50 million!”

Venezuela Fires Back

The Venezuelan government didn’t hold back either. Foreign Minister Yvan Gil blasted the US move, calling the new bounty “the most ridiculous smokescreen we have ever seen.” In a statement shared on Telegram and reported by AFP, Gil described the reward as a "pathetic" and desperate attempt by Washington to distract from its own internal failures.

Bondi's Warning

In a pre-recorded statement, AG Pam Bondi defended the decision, citing Maduro’s alleged alliances with violent global drug cartels. “Maduro uses foreign terrorist organizations like Tren de Aragua, Sinaloa, and the Cartel de los Soles to bring deadly violence to our country,” she said. “He is one of the largest narco-traffickers in the world and a threat to our national security.”

Maduro, who has been under US investigation since 2020, has repeatedly denied the allegations, calling them politically motivated.

With both Loomer and Venezuela rejecting the DOJ's bounty hike as a farce, the controversy around Maduro’s status—and Washington’s strategy—only deepens.