Venezuelan Spy Chief Under Hugo Chavez Pleads Guilty Narco Terrorism Charges In Manhattan

Hugo Carvajal, once a top official in Venezuela's authoritarian regime, has pleaded guilty to drug trafficking charges in a U.S. court in Manhattan, including narco terrorism.

Carvaja, who was the country's spy chief under late president Hugo Chavez, was extradited to the U.S. from Spain in 2023 after managing to evade U.S. law enforcement for over a decade. He was serving a diplomat for the Nicolas Maduro government until dramatically breaking with it and calling Venezuelans to support the U.S.-backed opposition.

Overall, Carvajal pleaded guilty to all four charges against him, including leading a cartel made up of senior officials who, along with Colombian guerrillas, attempted to "flood" the U.S. with cocaine. The cartel is known as "Los Soles" and also alleges that Maduro plays a leading role in it.

"Hugo Armando Carvajal Barrios took advantage of his role and abandoned his responsibility to the Venezuelan people to intentionally harm the U.S.," said acting DEA director Robert Murphy.

"After years trying to evade law enforcement, Carvajal Barrios will now probably spend the rest of his life in a federal prison. As it has been clear in this case, the DEA will relentlessly pursue anyone who uses violence, drugs and intimidation to compromise the security of the U.S.," he added.

After the Venezuelan opposition failed to spark a military revolt that would lead to a change of government in 2019, Carvajal fled to Spain. He was captured two years later hiding in an apartment in Madrid.

A CBS News analysis speculated that Carvajal's guilty plea, without any requests for leniency, could be part of a strategy to win good will in the future. Even though he has not been in power for years, he could potentially provide relevant information about the authoritarian government and its workings.