Hugo “El Pollo” Carvajal, a former Venezuelan military officer and intelligence chief, has pled guilty to a series of charges linked to drug trafficking and narco-terrorism in a federal court in New York City.
Carvajal, who once held considerable power under the Chavista regime, faces a potential life sentence, with sentencing set to occur on October 29. U.S. authorities have emphasized the grave implications of the case, highlighting a network of powerful foreign officials conspiring to inundate the United States with drugs that have devastating consequences for public health.
In his role as the head of the Military Intelligence Directorate (DIM) from 2004 until 2011, during the presidency of Hugo Chávez, Carvajal was deeply entrenched in the inner workings of the Venezuelan government. He had long been under indictment in the U.S., facing serious charges, including allegations of conspiring to import cocaine and connections with Colombian guerrilla groups alongside possession of weapons.
In 2014, Carvajal was briefly arrested in Aruba by U.S. security forces while he was still covered by diplomatic immunity, leading to a diplomatic uproar and protests from the Venezuelan government. He was released shortly thereafter but remained a figure of interest for U.S. authorities.
After Hugo Chávez’s death and the consequent rise of Nicolás Maduro, Carvajal’s alliance with the regime began to fracture amid Venezuela’s worsening economic crisis. In 2015, he was elected to the National Assembly on the United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) ticket but subsequently adopted a lower profile.
His relationship with the opposition appeared to shift as public discontent grew, particularly during the widespread anti-government protests between March and July 2017. Carvajal publicly blamed Maduro for the deaths of scores of young protesters and criticized the regime’s failure to address severe shortages of food and medicine.
The turning point for Carvajal came in 2019 when he recognized Juan Guaidó’s interim government as the legitimate authority representing Venezuela’s democratic aspirations. This declaration led to a swift rebuke from the Chavista leadership, who previously supported him, resulting in his denouncement as a traitor.
Diosdado Cabello, the Minister of Interior and Justice, expressed outrage over Carvajal’s betrayal, condemning him for abandoning the party and labeling him a scoundrel. Cabello noted that those who turn against the ideals of their movement betray not only their political allegiance but also the homeland itself.
Carvajal has been linked to other serious criminal activities, including alleged conspiracies with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) involving weapons and drug trafficking. After living underground for two years, he was arrested in Spain in 2021 on the U.S. government’s request and was eventually extradited to the United States in 2023.
The U.S. Department of Justice remarked on Carvajal’s role in undermining Venezuelan institutions to facilitate the flow of cocaine into the U.S., describing it as an egregious abuse of power against the Venezuelan people.
As Carvajal awaits sentencing, this case underscores the extent of international drug trafficking networks and the involvement of high-ranking officials in such illicit activities.
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