What is Nicolás Maduro’s net worth? A look at ‘captured’ Venezuelan President's wealth
Nicolás Maduro, a former bus driver, rose to power in Venezuela after Hugo Chávez. His presidency has been marked by hyperinflation & accusations of corruption.
US President Donald Trump declared on January 3, Saturday, that American special forces conducted a secret operation within Venezuela, capturing President Nicolás Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores.
The announcement comes as explosions were reported throughout Caracas, causing sections of the capital to be engulfed in darkness as Venezuelan officials rushed to respond. This operation represented a significant intensification of the longstanding tensions between the US and Venezuela, driven by accusations of electoral fraud, drug trafficking, and human rights violations under Maduro's administration.
According to Trump, Maduro and his spouse were removed from the nation and transported under US custody, a revelation that, if verified, would signify one of the most extraordinary foreign interventions in contemporary history.
As the global community responds to these events, renewed focus has shifted to a longstanding enigma: how much wealth did a former bus driver amass while overseeing one of the most severe economic collapses in contemporary history?
From bus driver to President
Nicolás Maduro was born in 1962 in Caracas and commenced his career as a bus driver for the Caracas Metro system. His engagement in trade unions led him into the political arena, where he became a close associate of former president Hugo Chávez.
Maduro held the position of Venezuela’s foreign minister from 2006 to 2013 and subsequently served as vice president. After Chávez’s passing in 2013, he took on the presidency following a contentious election. He managed to maintain his authority through highly disputed elections in 2018 and 2024.
During his tenure, Venezuela descended into hyperinflation, faced chronic shortages of food and medicine, and experienced a humanitarian crisis that compelled millions to leave the nation. Maduro’s administration has been repeatedly accused of extensive corruption, including claims that high-ranking officials diverted billions in oil revenues through illicit networks.
Assessing Maduro's net worth
Public evaluations of Nicolás Maduro's wealth vary greatly and continue to be a subject of debate owing to a lack of clear financial disclosures.
The most frequently referenced estimates suggest that his reported wealth is surprisingly low in comparison to other leaders facing allegations of extensive corruption.
Maduro, as per Celebrity Net Worth, is having a net worth of around $2 million.
US sanctions against Maduro
Maduro's administration faced severe sanctions imposed by the United States and other nations. In 2020, he was charged with corruption and other offenses by Washington. Maduro, however, dismissed these allegations.
He took the oath of office for a third term in January 2025 after a 2024 election that was slammed by international observers and the opposition as fraudulent. Many individuals who protested the government's claim of victory were imprisoned.
A recent UN Fact-Finding Mission revealed that the Bolivarian National Guard (GNB) of the country had perpetrated significant human rights abuses and crimes against humanity for over a decade, specifically targeting political adversaries, frequently without facing consequences, Reuters reported.
