US strikes Venezuela: From bus driver to President: Questions resurface over Nicolas Maduro’s net worth
PTC Web Desk: US President Donald Trump on Saturday claimed that American special forces carried out a covert mission inside Venezuela, detaining President Nicolás Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores and placing them under US custody. The dramatic assertion came amid reports of loud explosions across Caracas, which plunged parts of the Venezuelan capital into darkness as authorities scrambled to respond.
If confirmed, the operation would mark a major escalation in the long-running standoff between Washington and Caracas, rooted in allegations of election manipulation, narcotics trafficking and systemic human rights abuses under Maduro’s rule. Trump said the Venezuelan leader and his wife were removed from the country as part of the secret mission, a development that would represent one of the most unprecedented foreign interventions in recent history.
As global reactions poured in, renewed attention turned to Nicolás Maduro’s extraordinary political journey, and lingering questions surrounding his personal wealth, against the backdrop of Venezuela’s prolonged economic collapse.
From bus driver to president
Born in Caracas in 1962, Maduro began his working life as a bus driver in the city’s metro system. His involvement in labour unions gradually introduced him to politics, where he rose through the ranks and became a close ally of late president Hugo Chávez.
Maduro served as Venezuela’s foreign minister from 2006 to 2013 before being appointed vice president. Following Chávez’s death in 2013, he assumed the presidency after a tightly contested election. He later consolidated his grip on power through elections in 2018 and 2024, both of which were widely criticised by opposition parties and international observers.
During his presidency, Venezuela spiralled into hyperinflation, severe shortages of essential goods and a humanitarian crisis that forced millions to flee the country. His government has repeatedly faced accusations of large-scale corruption, with allegations that senior officials siphoned off billions of dollars in oil revenues through illegal networks.
What is Maduro’s net worth?
Despite persistent claims of corruption, estimates of Maduro’s personal wealth vary and remain unclear due to the absence of transparent financial disclosures. Public assessments place his reported net worth far below that of many leaders accused of similar misconduct.
According to Celebrity Net Worth, Maduro’s estimated wealth stands at around $2 million, a figure that continues to fuel debate given Venezuela’s vast oil resources and the scale of alleged financial wrongdoing during his tenure.
US sanctions and legal pressure
Maduro has faced years of international sanctions, particularly from the United States. In 2020, Washington formally charged him with corruption and other criminal offences, accusations he has consistently rejected as politically motivated.
Despite global criticism, Maduro was sworn in for a third term in January 2025 following the 2024 presidential election, which opposition groups and international monitors labelled deeply flawed. Protests against the official results were met with a crackdown, leading to the arrest of several demonstrators.
Adding to the scrutiny, a recent United Nations fact-finding mission found that Venezuela’s Bolivarian National Guard had committed serious human rights violations over more than a decade, frequently targeting political opponents and operating with near-total impunity, according to a Reuters report.
- With inputs from agencies
