The case could expose new details linking Venezuela’s former intelligence leadership to global narcotrafficking networks.
The sentencing of former Venezuelan intelligence chief Hugo “El Pollo” Carvajal has been postponed to January 2026 at the request of the U.S. government, following objections from the defense that demand a multi-day Fatico hearing — a proceeding designed to assess disputed evidence before sentencing.
Carvajal, once a close ally of the late president Hugo Chávez, was extradited to the United States in 2023 and later convicted on drug-trafficking-related charges. Prosecutors accuse him of using his position to facilitate shipments of cocaine from Venezuela to the U.S. through alliances with Colombian guerrilla groups.
Defense attorneys argue that key pieces of evidence presented by the prosecution require further examination and have requested the opportunity to challenge witness credibility and intelligence reports. The delay could extend the high-profile case into early 2026, potentially bringing forward new revelations about the nexus between the Venezuelan government and international drug networks.
Analysts say the outcome may also influence Washington’s broader policy toward Nicolás Maduro’s administration, especially as the U.S. continues to pressure Caracas over human-rights and narcotics-trafficking concerns. The Department of Justice has not commented on whether additional charges or cooperating witnesses could be revealed before the new sentencing date.
