The U.S. government increased the rewards Friday for the capture of Venezuelan strongman Nicolas Maduro and his number two, Diosdado Cabello, to $25 million each, minutes after it said the dictator was “fraudulently” sworn in for a third presidential term.

The U.S. government also issued a $15 million reward for the capture of Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino Lopez. All three regime officials are accused of forming part of the so-called Soles Cartel and face drug-trafficking charges in U.S. courts.

The rewards on Maduro and Cabello are the maximum amounts authorized in the United States for crimes linked to drug trafficking.

The announcement was made in Washington minutes after Maduro was sworn in for a new presidential term in front of the regime-controlled National Assembly, in a ceremony boycotted by most members of the international community, who believe. the regime’s announcement that the strongman won the July 28th presidential election was fraudulent.

Speaking in a call with reporters, senior Biden administration officials said the regime is now more isolated than ever before in light of “indisputable evidence” that opposition leader Edmundo González Urrutia had won the election with more than 67% of the vote.

“We are working tirelessly with our allies in the region to send a clear message to Maduro to end his unjustified repression and respect the will of the Venezuelan people,” a senior official said. “It is important to underscore that Maduro stands mostly alone at this juncture, with few friends in the region and the world.”

In addition to the decision to increase the rewards, the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the Treasury Department imposed sanctions against eight Venezuelan officials who head economic agencies that play a key role in sustaining Maduro’s repressive government.

The sanctioned individuals include the president of state oil company, Petróleos de Venezuela, Hector Andres Obregon Perez, and the minister of transportation and president of the Venezuelan Consortium of Aeronautical Industries and Air Services, Ramon Celestino Velásquez Araguayan.

The Treasury Department also sanctioned high-level officials of the military and police who lead units that play leading roles in the regime’s repressive operations.

The acting undersecretary of the Treasury Department for Financial Intelligence and the Fight against Terrorism, Bradley T. Smith, said the measures adopted on Friday will be accompanied by similar actions taken by allies such as Canada, the European Union and the United Kingdom to punish the regime in a message of solidarity with the Venezuelan people.

“Since last year’s elections, Maduro and his associates have continued their repressive actions in Venezuela,” Smith said. “The United States, along with our like-minded partners, stands in solidarity with the Venezuelan people’s vote for new leadership and rejects Maduro’s fraudulent claim of victory.”

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