Tim McNulty
VENEZUELA’S former spy chief has been detained in Spain on drug charges after extradition request by US Justice Department.
Retired general Hugo Carvajal appeared at the Spanish High Court in Madrid after his arrest on a US warrant for drug trafficking charges.
Carvajal stood down as the head of Venezuela’s feared military intelligence in 2012 and has declared his backing for opposition leader, Juan Guaido.
The US are seeking to extradite Carvajal after he allegedly coordinated the transportation of 5,600 kg of cocaine bound for the US.
Carvajal has denied the accusations and plans to fight the US extradition request on the grounds his family currently reside in Spain.
The one time ally of Hugo Chavez was previously sanctioned by the US government in 2008 for ‘materially assisting the narcotics trafficking activities’ of Colombia’s FARC rebel group.
