The U.S. has announced a $25 million reward for information leading to the arrest of Venezuelan dictator Maduro.

The U.S. government has increased the reward for information that could lead to the arrest of self-proclaimed Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, who on Friday began another six-year term in office.

The victory of Maduro in the elections is not recognized by the majority of countries worldwide, and the nation is witnessing massive protests, according to BBC.

The announcement of the increased reward by the U.S. came on the day of the dictator's inauguration.

The American authorities believe that Maduro is guilty of drug trafficking. Washington had previously announced a reward for Maduro's capture, but the amount was $15 million.

The U.S., EU countries, and many other nations around the globe do not recognize Nicolás Maduro as the legitimate winner of the elections held in July.

They regard Edmund González, one of the leaders of the Venezuelan opposition and Maduro's main competitor, as the democratically elected president of Venezuela.

Foreign observers believe that the results of the voting that took place in July were manipulated.

Shortly after the elections, the Venezuelan opposition published its own vote count results, which indicated that González had won.

In recent months, spontaneous street protests have been harshly suppressed by the authorities, resulting in hundreds of demonstrators being imprisoned.

The inauguration itself was held under strict security control. Journalists from most accredited national media in Venezuela were not allowed into the hall. Foreign reporters were denied entry into the country.

It is known that among world leaders, only two were present at the ceremony: the presidents of Cuba and Nicaragua.