
Former Venezuelan intelligence chief Hugo Carvajal has admitted to using his government position to flood American streets with cocaine while helping arm Colombian terrorists, confirming the criminal nature of Venezuela’s socialist regime.
Key Takeaways
- Hugo Carvajal, former intelligence chief under Venezuela’s Hugo Chávez, pleaded guilty to narco-terrorism conspiracy, drug trafficking, and weapons charges in New York
- Carvajal admitted to leading a drug-trafficking network within the Venezuelan government that partnered with Colombian rebel group FARC to distribute cocaine in the United States
- His guilty plea potentially implicates current Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, who has a $25 million US bounty on his head related to the same narco-terrorism case
- Carvajal faces potential life sentences for multiple charges with sentencing scheduled for October
- His cooperation with US authorities may reveal critical intelligence about Venezuela’s state-sponsored criminal enterprises and relationships with hostile foreign powers
Venezuelan Intelligence Chief Admits to Criminal Conspiracy
On June 25, Hugo Armando Carvajal Barrios, nicknamed “El Pollo” (The Chicken), appeared before U.S. District Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein in Manhattan federal court to plead guilty to serious charges that expose the criminal nature of Venezuela’s socialist leadership. Carvajal, who served as military intelligence chief under presidents Hugo Chávez and briefly under Nicolás Maduro, admitted to leading a drug-trafficking organization embedded within the Venezuelan government. His confession validates what conservative critics have long asserted about socialist Venezuela’s transformation into a narco-state that actively threatens American security and public health.
“Hugo Armando Carvajal Barrios was once one of the most powerful men in Venezuela. For years, he and other officials … used cocaine as a weapon – flooding New York and other American cities with poison,” said Jay Clayton, US attorney.
The 63-year-old former general faces multiple charges including conspiracy to import cocaine into the United States, narco-terrorism on behalf of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), and firearms possession and conspiracy. Each count carries a potential life sentence, with sentencing scheduled for October. Carvajal’s admission of guilt represents a significant victory for American law enforcement and a damning indictment of the socialist regime that has devastated Venezuela while threatening U.S. national security interests.
The “Cartel of the Suns” and Venezuela’s State-Sponsored Drug Enterprise
Carvajal’s guilty plea confirms the existence of what U.S. prosecutors have called the “Cartel of the Suns,” a network of drug-trafficking organizations operating under the protection of high-ranking Venezuelan officials. This cartel, named after the sun-shaped stars worn on Venezuelan generals’ uniforms, collaborated with the Colombian terrorist group FARC to move massive cocaine shipments through Venezuela into the United States. The operation specifically targeted American cities with their deadly product, demonstrating the Venezuelan regime’s direct hostility toward the United States.
“Hugo “El Pollo” Carvajal, the intelligence chief who served under former Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez, pleaded guilty to drug trafficking and arms trafficking in New York on June 25,” according to Department of Justice.
The indictment that led to Carvajal’s guilty plea also names current Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and other high-ranking officials as co-conspirators in the narco-terrorism scheme. This criminal enterprise demonstrates how socialist Venezuela, once one of Latin America’s wealthiest nations, has been systematically dismantled by corrupt leadership that prioritizes criminal enrichment over its citizens’ welfare. The U.S. government has offered a $25 million bounty for information leading to Maduro’s arrest, underscoring the seriousness of these charges.
Implications for U.S. National Security
Carvajal’s cooperation with U.S. authorities may yield critical intelligence about Venezuela’s criminal operations and international connections. Security experts believe he could provide valuable information about the notorious Tren de Aragua gang, which has spread throughout Latin America and now operates within U.S. borders, contributing to the crime wave associated with uncontrolled illegal immigration. Additionally, he may reveal details about Venezuela’s relationships with Iran, Russia, and other adversaries of the United States, potentially exposing networks that threaten American security.
The case has broader implications for American foreign policy toward Venezuela. Carvajal briefly supported a failed 2019 coup against Maduro led by opposition leader Juan Guaidó, although he was already under U.S. investigation at that time. His prosecution demonstrates the complex nature of Venezuelan politics, where even those opposing Maduro’s regime often have compromised backgrounds. It also raises questions about the effectiveness of U.S. efforts to promote regime change in the socialist nation, including the 2020 “Bay of Piglets” operation that reportedly involved American former Green Berets.
A Pattern of Socialist Corruption
Carvajal’s guilty plea represents just one example in a pattern of corruption endemic to socialist Venezuela. Another co-defendant, former Venezuelan general Cliver Alcalá, was recently sentenced to over 21 years in prison after pleading guilty to supporting the FARC. These cases demonstrate how socialist governance in Venezuela deteriorated into outright criminality, with officials exploiting their positions to enrich themselves at the expense of their people and neighboring nations. The Venezuelan regime’s involvement in drug trafficking has directly contributed to addiction and crime in American communities.
As Carvajal awaits sentencing, his case stands as a stark reminder of the dangers posed by socialist regimes that mask criminal enterprises behind revolutionary rhetoric. The Venezuelan people continue to suffer under this corruption, with millions fleeing the country’s economic collapse and political repression. Meanwhile, the regime’s drug trafficking operations continue to target American cities, highlighting why strong border security and aggressive prosecution of transnational criminal networks remain essential to protecting American communities from the spillover effects of socialist failure.