Ex-Venezuelan general and head of military intelligence, Hugo Carvajal, detained in Spain on US warrant

Carvajal, dubbed “El Pollo” (The Chicken), was taken into custody Friday at his son’s home in Madrid by Spanish police

The former army general has been charged with conspiracy to import more than five tonnes of cocaine into the United States

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Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro welcomes ex-Venezuelan Army intelligence head Hugo Carvajal during a congress of the ruling Venezuelan United Socialist Party in Caracas, Venezuela, in 2014. Carvajal has since spoken up in favour of Maduro’s rival, Juan Guaido. Photo: handout via EPA-EFE

Published: 6:29am, 14 Apr 2019Updated: 6:30am, 14 Apr 2019

Former Venezuelan general Hugo Carvajal, head of military intelligence under Hugo Chavez, was held in temporary detention Saturday while Spain waits for a formal US extradition request on charges of cocaine trafficking, judicial sources said.

Carvajal, dubbed “El Pollo” (The Chicken), was taken into custody Friday at his son’s home in Madrid by Spanish police. He made headlines recently by voicing support for Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido.

A judge at a Spanish federal court decided to place Carvajal in provisional detention, while the United States files a “formal extradition request” to judicial authorities, the sources said.

The former army general “denied having links to drug trafficking and the FARC” guerilla group in Colombia, they added.

A Civil Guard van believed to be carrying the former head of Venezuelan military intelligence, Hugo Carvajal arrives outside the high court in Madrid, Spain, in April. Photo: Reuters

He refused to be handed over to US officials and argued that he now has family ties to Spain.

In a statement, the US Justice Department said if convicted, Carvajal faced a sentence of between 10 years to life in prison over the charges of conspiracy to import more than five tonnes of cocaine into the United States.