Ex-Venezuela general and Maduro ally pleaded guilty to narco-terrorism charges last year

WASHINGTON (TNND) — A former Venezuelan general and ally of disposed Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in June of 2025 pleaded guilty to narco-terrorism charges last year.

The United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, and the Acting Administrator of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration Robert Murphy announced June 25, 2025 that Venezuelan General Hugo Armando Carvajal Barrios pleaded guilty to different charges, including conspiracy to import cocaine into the U.S. and weapons-related offenses.

“Today’s guilty plea demonstrates our commitment to holding accountable foreign officials who abuse their power to poison our citizens,” Clayton said in a June press release.

“I commend the extraordinary efforts of our law enforcement allies in the DEA’s Special Operations Division and our other law enforcement partners here and abroad.”

Carvajal Barrios was recently brought up by CBS News Chicago Legal Analyst Irv Miller, amid the recent capturing of Maduro by the U.S. Army.

Maduro was charged with Cocaine Importation Conspiracy, Possession of Machine guns and Destructive Devices, Narco-Terrorism Conspiracy and Conspiracy to Possess Machine guns and Destructive Devices against the United States.

He pleaded not guilty to all the charges on Monday.

“Last year, one of the other co-defendants pled guilty in June, but there’s been no sentencing date,” said Miller said, referencing Carvajal Barrios.

“Yet, that means to me that there’s probably a good chance that he’s a cooperator, and he will probably be the main witness in the case against the former president of Venezuela.”

Maduro and his wife are currently in a prison in Brooklyn, New York.