MADRID, Spain – Hugo Armando Carvajal Barrios, known as “El Pollo” Carvajal and former director of Venezuelan Military Intelligence under the governments of Hugo Chávez and Nicolás Maduro, stated in a letter sent from a U.S. federal prison that Chavismo operated for two decades as a criminal network based on narcoterrorism, espionage, and electoral fraud—with direct support from the Cuban government.
The letter, addressed to President Donald Trump and “the People of the United States,” was published by DallaExpressNews and is being presented as the most extensive confession ever made by a high-ranking Chavista official about the regime’s internal operations.
Carvajal, a three-star major general and one of the most influential figures in the Chavista security apparatus, pleaded guilty in the United States to conspiracy to commit narcoterrorism. He claims to have decided to “atone for his sins by telling the whole truth,” with the goal of helping the United States “protect itself from the dangers he personally witnessed for so many years.”
In the letter, the former military chief recalls breaking with Maduro in 2017 and fleeing the country, fully aware that he faced criminal charges in the U.S. He says he did so “with the firm conviction of dismantling Maduro’s criminal regime and restoring freedom to his country.” From that point forward, he lays out four sections of accusations that describe a state structure functioning as a transnational criminal consortium.
Drug Trafficking as a “Weapon” Against the United States
Carvajal claims he witnessed how Chavismo turned into a criminal organization led by Nicolás Maduro, Diosdado Cabello, and other high-ranking officials. He states that the Cartel of the Suns used drug trafficking as a political tool, asserting that its objective was to “use drugs as a weapon against the United States.” He adds that these operations were not isolated incidents but rather “deliberate policies coordinated by the Venezuelan regime.”
The former general attributes the creation of this plan to the Cuban regime, saying it was designed in the early 2000s. According to his account, Havana suggested the strategy to Chávez—to turn drug trafficking into a tool of geopolitical pressure—carried out with the support of FARC, ELN, Cuban operatives, and Hezbollah members. He claims Venezuela provided “weapons, passports, and impunity” to facilitate these activities.
Exporting Organized Crime
Carvajal also links the Venezuelan regime to the creation and expansion of the criminal group Tren de Aragua. He claims that the recruitment of criminal leaders began under Chávez, who sought to “defend the revolution” in exchange for impunity, and that Maduro expanded this model to export criminality abroad.
He states that the deployment of thousands of gang members outside Venezuela was coordinated through various ministries and security agencies, taking advantage of U.S. immigration policies to establish a presence in the country. According to his testimony, these groups arrived “obedient and armed,” with explicit instructions to continue kidnappings, extortion, and killings to fund their operations.
Espionage and Infiltration on U.S. Soil
The former intelligence chief also describes espionage operations carried out from Venezuela, driven by Russia and Cuba. He claims to have been present when Russian agents proposed tapping undersea internet cables to penetrate U.S. communications. In the letter, he says he warned Maduro about the risks of allowing a Russian listening post on La Orchila Island, but his concerns were ignored.
According to his testimony, Venezuelan and Cuban spies have operated inside the United States for two decades, some allegedly posing as political dissidents. He also claims that Cuban intelligence showed him networks inside U.S. naval bases and that certain American officials were allegedly paid to help keep Chavismo in power.
Smartmatic and Electoral Manipulation
Carvajal also discusses Smartmatic, stating it was created as “an electoral tool of the Venezuelan regime” and that the system “can be altered; that is a fact.” He claims this technology was exported abroad — including to the United States — and that Chavista operatives maintain ties with election officials and voting system providers.
“The Regime Is at War with You”
The letter ends with a direct message to the American people. Carvajal warns that the Venezuelan regime “is at war with you, using drugs, gangs, espionage, and even your own democratic processes as weapons.” He adds that Trump’s policies toward Venezuela “are not only justified, but necessary and proportional to the threat.”
The former general says he is willing to provide further details to the U.S. government. His statement is being described as one of the most forceful insider accusations ever made against Chavismo, with implications for hemispheric security, transnational crime, and the regional influence of the Cuban regime.
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