Retired Maj. Gen. Hugo Carvajal, a former Venezuela spymaster with close ties to the late leader Hugo Chávez, was extradited from Spain to New York tWednesday o face charges related to drug trafficking that date back a decade, AP reports.
Carvajal’s initial appearance is scheduled for Thursday in Manhattan federal court, where his lawyer, Zachary Margulis-Ohnuma, confirmed he will enter a not-guilty plea.
Known by the nickname “El Pollo” (The Chicken), Carvajal served as an advisor to Hugo Chávez for over ten years. However, he eventually parted ways with Chávez’s chosen successor, Nicolás Maduro, and publicly supported US-backed opposition figures.
Carvajal also released a video speech from an undisclosed location, urging fellow military personnel to rebel against their commander-in-chief during mass protests seeking to replace Maduro with Juan Guaido, who the United States recognized as Venezuela‘s legitimate leader due to his role as the head of the democratically elected National Assembly.
Despite Carvajal’s call for revolt, the uprising did not come to fruition, and Guaido’s movement waned, allowing Maduro to solidify his grip on power. In the aftermath, Carvajal discreetly fled to Spain, fearing arrest and evading capture.
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