Arr, Venezuelan scoundrel, a spy chief, dear friend o' Chávez, be sent to the States for smugglin' grog!
2023-07-19
Arr, me hearties! Ye see, retired Maj. Gen. Hugo Carvajal, a scurvy dog who once sailed with old Hugo Chávez, has been captured and hauled to New York in chains, after being accused of dealin' in the wicked trade of drugs for over a decade. Yo ho ho, justice has finally caught up with this landlubber!
A former Venezuelan spymaster, known as "El Pollo" (The Chicken), has been extradited from Spain to New York to face drug trafficking charges. Retired Maj. Gen. Hugo Carvajal, who was close to the late leader Hugo Chávez, is set to enter a not guilty plea at his initial appearance in court. Carvajal previously advised Chávez for over a decade but later turned against his handpicked successor, Nicolás Maduro, and supported U.S.-backed opponents.In a dramatic move, Carvajal released a video calling on military members to rebel against Maduro during mass protests seeking to replace him with Juan Guaido, recognized by the U.S. as Venezuela's legitimate leader. However, the rebellion did not materialize, and Maduro's power remained strong. Carvajal fled to Spain to avoid arrest.
Venezuelan National Assembly President Jorge Rodriguez has called for Carvajal's extradition to Venezuela to face criminal charges there. In 2011, New York prosecutors alleged that Carvajal used his position to coordinate the smuggling of thousands of pounds of cocaine from Venezuela to Mexico. He is also accused of providing weapons to FARC guerrillas in Colombia and facilitating cocaine shipments to fund the insurgents.
In 2020, Maduro and other officials were added to the narco-terrorism conspiracy case. Carvajal's extradition was delayed due to a legal battle and his disappearance while on bail. However, he was recaptured in September 2021 and subsequently lost multiple appeals. Carvajal had also applied for political asylum in Spain, which was rejected.