Hugo Carvajal, a former head of Venezuela’s military intelligence, has pleaded guilty in a U.S. court to drug trafficking and narco-terrorism charges, exposing ties between the government and organized crime.
At a Glance
- Carvajal admitted to four federal counts, including narco-terrorism and cocaine importation.
- He led the “Cartel of the Suns,” operating alongside Venezuela’s military elite.
- Prosecutors allege collusion with Colombia’s FARC to smuggle cocaine into the U.S.
- Carvajal faces life imprisonment and may cooperate with U.S. authorities.
- His plea amplifies legal pressure on Maduro’s regime and could reveal espionage links.
Narco-Terrorism Confession Rocks Court
Retired Maj. Gen. Hugo “El Pollo” Carvajal Barrios pleaded guilty Wednesday in a Manhattan federal court to narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation, and weapons charges under a U.S. Justice Department indictment, according to Reuters’s detailed report and confirmed by AP News. The Guardian also covered how prosecutors say he helped orchestrate drug shipments via the so-called “Cartel of the Suns,” a network of senior military officers collaborating with Colombia’s FARC to flood U.S. streets with cocaine.
Turning State Secrets into Leverage
Once one of Venezuela’s most powerful spies under Hugo Chávez and Nicolás Maduro, Carvajal broke ranks in 2019 to support opposition leader Juan Guaidó, as detailed in his Wikipedia biography. After being extradited from Spain in 2023, he now faces a potential life sentence with sentencing scheduled for October. U.S. officials suggest he may cooperate, offering critical intelligence on Maduro-era corruption, ties to Iran, the Tren de Aragua criminal group, and election interference, according to AP News analysis.
Watch a report: Former Venezuelan spy chief pleads guilty to US charges.
Political Fallout Hits Caracas
Carvajal’s guilty plea marks a significant escalation in U.S. efforts to target high-ranking Venezuelan officials. The Justice Department has labeled the Cartel of the Suns a state-run narco enterprise, using this case to intensify pressure on President Maduro. Analysts warn that Carvajal’s cooperation could unravel clandestine ties between Venezuelan state actors and international criminal networks, as detailed in both AP News coverage and related video analysis.
This case may become a turning point, with criminal convictions, explosive testimony, and geopolitical stakes now all converging in a U.S. courtroom.
