Crime
Former Venezuela spy chief pleads not guilty to U.S. drug charges after extradition
The Venezuelan is being accused of participating in a narco-terrorism conspiracy, conspiring to import cocaine, and conspiring to use, carry, or possess machine guns in connection to drug trafficking
July 21, 2023 7:37am
Updated: July 21, 2023 7:37am
Venezuela’s former military intelligence chief, Hugo Carvajal, pleaded not guilty on Thursday to U.S. drug trafficking charges, days after being extradited to face charges in a New York federal court.
Carvajal, 63, was extradited from Spain and had his plea hearing before U.S. Magistrate Judge Stewart Aaron in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York on Wednesday.
During the hearing, he pled not guilty to the charges against him.
The Venezuelan is being accused of participating in a narco-terrorism conspiracy, conspiring to import cocaine, and conspiring to use, carry, or possess machine guns in connection to drug trafficking.
His next court date is set for July 25. If convicted, Carvajal could face between 10 years and life in prison, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
"General Carvajal looks forward to fighting these outrageous charges in court before an unbiased American jury," Carvajal’s lawyer, Zachary Margulis-Ohnuma told reporters after the hearing.
Margulis-Ohnuma said he would be applying to have his client released on bail.
Hugo Armando “El Pollo” Carvajal was the head of military intelligence under Hugo Chavez from July 2004 until December 2011. He is wanted by Washington for events that took place from 1999 to 2019 when he belonged to the criminal organization Cartel of the Suns.
During his time with the organization, Carvajal collaborated with the Colombian FARC guerilla group and other armed groups to transport drugs from South America to the United States.
In 2006 alone, he helped coordinate the shipment of 1,235 pounds (5,600 kilograms) of cocaine from Venezuela to Mexico.
In 2019, Carvajal fled from Venezuela after being stripped of his rank for supporting President Nicholas Maduro’s opponent, Juan Guaido, and calling on for the shipment of humanitarian aid to Venezuela. After being on the run for almost two years, he was arrested on Sept. 9, 2021, in Madrid.
“Carvajal abandoned his responsibility to the people of Venezuela and exploited his position for personal gain,” US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) chief Anne Milgram said in a statement upon his extradition.
“DEA and our partners stand united to bring to justice anyone, in any position, who endangers the safety and health of the American people,” Milgram added.
