Spanish court orders immediate extradition of 'Pollo Carvajal' to the U.S.

The former head of Venezuela's General Directorate of Military Counterintelligence has been accused of drug trafficking and organized crime.

Hugo Armando Carvajal Barrios, más conocido como el Pollo Carvajal, exdirector de Inteligencia de Venezuela. — (Wikimedia Commons)

Published by

Alejandro Baños

18 de julio, 2023

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The National Court of Spain ordered Interpol to immediately extradite the former head of Venezuela's General Directorate of Military Counterintelligence, Hugo Armando Carvajal Barrios, better known as "Pollo Carvajal," to the United States.

U.S. authorities have accused him of drug trafficking and organized crime, crimes he allegedly committed while working within the Bolivarian regime of Hugo Chávez between July 2004 and December 2011 and, subsequently, for Nicolás Maduro, from April 2013 to January 2014.

After several attempts by Carvajal to avoid extradition to the United States, last week, the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) finally rejected his latest appeal. The court argued that he would not be sentenced to life in prison, so he authorized his surrender:

Since he has not yet been tried, it would be difficult to determine the outcome, but the Tribunal is convinced that he would be tried in a legal system respectful of human rights and fair trial principles, where he would have full opportunity to organize his defense with the assistance of counsel.

Incarcerated in Estremera prison (Madrid, Spain) since 2021, he is expected to be handed over to U.S. authorities in the coming days.