They arrested Hugo Carvajal, a former Chavista general accused of drug trafficking in the United States.

The former general of the Bolivarian National Armed Forces (FANB) Hugo Carvajal He was arrested this Friday in Spain. He is accused of drug trafficking in the United States..

The information was confirmed by journalists Nelson Bocaranda and Maibort Petit on their Twitter accounts. "RUNRUN: Detention of M / G Hugo Carvajal confirmed by Spanish police at the request of the United States against the old "indictment""expressed the director of Runrun.es.

In another tweet, he added: "This morning, at 8:30, I informed them of the arrest of M / G Hugo Carvajal in Spain, in Madrid, by the Civil Guard and the Gendarmerie at the request the United States for an earlier indictment against him, confirmed by the Spanish Government an hour ago. Expect to be caught today or tomorrow in the United States"

For his part, Petit said: "Confirmed the arrest of General Hugo Carvajal in Spain. Carvajal is accused by the United States of crimes related to drug trafficking. Up to now, no cooperation agreement has been concluded, although attempts have been made to this end. A son of Carvajal lives in Spain. "

In another message, Petit added: "Carvajal has two drug trafficking cases and links with FARC terrorist group. He hired lawyers in the United States to clarify his situation, he did not enter into any cooperation agreements. He denied the charges and did not want to spend time in jail. His case in the Eastern District Court of New York (the same as that of "El Chapo") is the largest. "

The general Hugo Armando Carvajal Barrios He was not a man within the Venezuelan bureaucratic structure. For years, he was one of the few leaders able to reach the depths of power and advise the head of government: Hugo Chavez.

Born April 1, 1960 in Puerto La Cruz, western Venezuela, Carvajal was from the beginning of Chavez until his "separation". He participated in the coup attempt of the next president in 1992 and was appointed Chief of Intelligence from 2004 to 2011.

He did high school in the Military Liceo "José Antonio Anzoátegui" then entered the Military Academy, where he graduated in 1981. It was during those years when he was baptized "The chicken"

He was the chief of the General Division of Venezuelan Military Intelligence (DGIM) and who more secrets shared with the extinct leader of Bolivia. It's also a symbol of chavist corruption and many within the regime believe that, with its downfall, a complicated time is coming for the network of complicities that has developed over the years of the Bolivarian government.

Torture, the protection of terrorists and close links with drug traffickers are among the "parchments"This has allowed Carvajal to reap over the years the confidence of"commanding officer"

In Colombia, they identified it as the responsible for providing documents and coverage to FARC terrorists and drug lords. It is also badumed that participated in the torture inflicted on two members of the Colombian armyCamilo González and Corporal Gregorio Martínez, then murdered.

Under the direction of Carvajal, the DGIM has increased its activities of internal espionage. The "witch hunts" produced throughout the long Chavista decade have increased after taking over this general of the Bolivarian army in charge of the division. Even torture complaints to members of the armed forces are commonplace. An alleged disloyalty was a matter of persecution and "depuration".

Your links with drug trafficking

His ties to narco have been the key to his arrest and the prosecution he will face in the United States. Their meetings with FARC leaders were frequent. In 2006, he met Germán Briceño Suárez, a prominent leader of the terrorist organization and brother of "Mono Jojoy". It was at Corocito Farm in San Silvestre, in the state of Barinas. At least 20 people attended the meeting, many of whom were members of their counterintelligence team. There, they would have agreed to finance and provide logistical badistance to terrorists operating on the border between Venezuela and Colombia..

In 2008, Carvajal was already in the crosshairs of American justice is part of the largest corruption network in Venezuelan history and its links with the FARC's narco-terrorism. The US Treasury has sanctioned it with other ministers and officials of Chavez.

"El Pollo" is the one who knows the secrets of the Chavismo leaders: the dictator Nicolás Maduro; his wife, Cilia Flores; and the powerful Diosdado Cabello, among others, fears that he is not talking and this detention can be a key factor for this to happen.

There is two formal charges against Carvajal in US federal courts: one in the South Florida District, Miami; and another in New York.

The indictment in Miami tells Carvajal: collaborator and accomplice of the Cartel del Norte del Valle, one of the largest narco groups in Colombia, which distributes drugs in North America.

In the meantime, the process followed by the former head of the Venezuelan Intelligence New York is sealed, so that it was not possible to know exactly what are the charges against him.

"We can not guarantee that the charges (presented in Miami and New York) are identical, but they may coincide in fundamental terms."he said to BBC World in 2014, a spokesman for the Department of Justice in Washington.

In US legal practice, a judge may order the closure of a case for a variety of reasons, but this is brought to the attention of the public upon the arrest of the accused.

According to what they claimed BBC World Sources from the Department of Justice who did not want to be identified, the fact that it is not the same for the New York case can mean that this case still makes the case. subject to investigation or that other people have not been arrested.

(The video that Carvajal recorded to recognize Guaidó)

Carvajal, the highest official of Chavismo accused in the United States

His case coincides with that of two other former important officials: the former Venezuelan judge Benny Palmeri-Bacchi and the former director of Interpol in Venezuela Rodolfo McTurk.

Palmeri was accused of conspiring to distribute cocaine in the United States and obstructing justice, a charge of which he pleaded not guilty.

In the McTurk case, the prosecution claims that in 2009, as head of the international police force, extorted a drug dealer arrested who requested $ 400,000 to release him and monthly payments of $ 75,000 to enable him to continue his activities.

As reported at the time The new heraldthis case also concerns Hugo Carvajal. But the Washington Department of Justice and the Miami Attorney's Office refused to say if there was a common denominator between the defendants.

If Carvajal was extradited to the United States and convicted of the charges he was charged with, could be sentenced to life imprisonmentunless you enter into a pact with the lawyer in exchange for your testimony, which will help to arm or solve other cases.

Your last public statements

Last Friday, Carvajal has published a series of messages in your Twitter account. From there, the silence was called but it was said a week ago on the social network: "I do not publish high-level drug trafficking networks when such information must be exclusively in the hands of organs capable of examining it. I do not publish the figures of leaders of the PSUV and their badets abroad when this information should be in the hands of agencies investigating the legitimacy of capital in the United States, Europe, Lebanon, Dubai and Hong Kong, "he began.

And he continued: "I do not publish everything that says that 90% of institutional FAN who wants to make freedom and democracy in Venezuela, whereas this information should only be in the hands of the legitimate commander-in-chief of FAN. I do not publish information about terrorist groups living in Venezuela and those funded by the regime throughout America.when this information should be in the hands of international anti-terrorist organizations. "

"I do not publish detailed information on the Cuban presence in state institutions, especially in the FAN, when this information is part of the strategy to get them out of the country. I do not publish the immense heritage stolen by the old and the new oligarchies, bank owners, insurance companies, government companies and the media, which fund politicians in favor of the government and the opposition, while this should be investigated in the new Venezuelan justice ", He underlines.

"Behind the political level, there is one that can not be seen, that of sensitive information for the states. Rest badured that I will and will continue to do everything in my power to restore freedom and democracy in my country."he stressed.

And it's over: "I have no doubt Maduro will leave by decision of the national armed forces"