Spanish Court Dismisses Appeal By Venezuela's Ex-Spy Chief Against His Extradition To US

The Spanish Supreme Court dismissed on Tuesday an appeal filed by former Venezuelan intelligence chief Hugo Carvajal against the Spanish government's decision to extradite him to the United States

MADRID (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 26th October, 2021) The Spanish Supreme Court dismissed on Tuesday an appeal filed by former Venezuelan intelligence chief Hugo Carvajal against the Spanish government's decision to extradite him to the United States.

"The fifth Administrative Division of the Supreme Court today dismissed the appeal by Hugo Armando Carvajal Barrios against the judgment of the Council of Ministers of March 3, 2020, which approved his extradition to the United States," the court's press service said.

Carvajal, a former adviser to erstwhile Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and ex-head of the country's military intelligence, was arrested in Madrid in April 2019 on a warrant from the US for 2011 drug trafficking charges.

In November 2019, the court ruled to extradite the suspect, after which he went into hiding. Carvajal was finally arrested on September 9, 2021.

On October 20, the Criminal Chamber of the National Court agreed to transfer Carvajal to the United States. Two days later, the Spanish National Court suspended the extradition process due to legal procedures.

US officials believe that Carvajal can provide valuable information on the alleged drug activities of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia. Carvajal was a trusted adviser to late Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez, and served as military intelligence chief from 2004-2011 and 2013-2014.