VENEZUELA TODAYSep 28Claudia Macero, María Corina Machado's press chief, returns to Venezuela after exileVENEZUELA TODAYSep 28Chavismo and the opposition agree on seven-jurist panel to vet new Supreme Court candidatesVENEZUELA TODAYSep 27Marches in six cities demand María Corina Machado's return and presidential electionsVENEZUELA TODAYSep 27Delcy Rodríguez frames her UN trip as an economic turn as María Corina Machado stays off the negotiating tableVENEZUELA TODAYSep 27Comando con Venezuela calls nationwide caravan demanding María Corina Machado's return and 2027 electionsVENEZUELA TODAYSep 27Government and AN2015 close second dialogue round with deal to expand digital press freedomVENEZUELA TODAYSep 26María Corina Machado denied flight permits for the third time this weekVENEZUELA TODAYSep 26Chavismo frees Operación Gedeón prisoners after second round of dialogueVENEZUELA TODAYSep 26Delcy Rodríguez promises elections at the UN with no date, avoids mentioning Maduro and Cilia FloresVENEZUELA TODAYSep 26U.S. prosecutors formally oppose Cilia Flores's bid for house arrestVENEZUELA TODAYSep 26María Corina Machado weighs a public return to Venezuela after new failed attemptsVENEZUELA TODAYSep 25U.S. prosecutors oppose house-arrest release for Cilia FloresTOCORÓN WATCHSep 23Prosecutors oppose Cilia Flores's bid for house arrest releaseTOCORÓN WATCHSep 22Judge issues protective order for handling evidence in Maduro case
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United States v. Maduro Moros et al. · S.D.N.Y. No. 1:11-cr-00205

Full transcript released of Hugo Carvajal's June 2025 guilty plea hearing

Key filingFiled in court on · Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein
Published

COURT DOCUMENT Document details

Case
United States v. Maduro Moros et al. · S.D.N.Y. No. 1:11-cr-00205
Docket entry
No. 249
Filed
Document
Transcript of Guilty Plea Hearing (June 25, 2025)
Original
Court filing (PDF, English)
Public docket
CourtListener

Summary written from the filing; the document itself is the record.

The document is the transcript of the June 25, 2025 hearing at which Hugo 'El Pollo' Carvajal pleaded guilty to all four counts against him: narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy, and two counts tied to possessing and conspiring to possess machine guns and destructive devices in furtherance of drug trafficking. Judge Alvin Hellerstein questioned Carvajal at length to confirm the plea was voluntary, and Carvajal admitted the essential elements of each count, though his defense reserved the right to contest several sentencing enhancements sought by prosecutors. The judge set sentencing for October 29, 2025.

Court
U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York (Manhattan) · case 1:11-cr-00205
Judge
Alvin K. Hellerstein · who he is
Prosecution
U.S. Attorney's Office, Southern District of New York (U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton)
Defense
Barry Pollack (Maduro) · Mark Donnelly (Cilia Flores)
Next date
September 30, 2026 · Defense reply on house arrest due
Where it stands
Maduro and Cilia Flores held at MDC Brooklyn since January 2026; both pleaded not guilty. Trial set for June 1, 2027. Hugo Carvajal pleaded guilty (June 2025) and awaits sentencing. Diosdado Cabello is charged but not in custody.

What it means

Carvajal was formally adjudged guilty on all four counts, but there was no plea agreement with prosecutors, meaning disputes over the sentencing guidelines calculations may be resolved at an evidentiary ('Fatico') hearing before final sentencing. Prosecutors stated the combined mandatory minimum sentence would be 50 years in prison, with a statutory maximum of life.

In the document's own words

“So the aggregate or total mandatory minimum term of incarceration is 50 years imprisonment.”
Page 13 — States the combined mandatory minimum sentence Carvajal faces from his guilty plea.
“I admit that I conspired with others to possess with the intent to distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine knowingly and with the intention to provide something of value to the group known as FARC, and I knew that the FARC was involved in terrorist activities.”
Page 27 — Carvajal's own admission of guilt on Count One, the narco-terrorism conspiracy charge.
“We are not agreeing to the Pimentel letter. As your Honor suggested, it's just a suggestion from the government.”
Page 23 — Shows the defense did not agree to the government's proposed sentencing enhancements, leaving disputes for later.
This summary (PDF) The court document (PDF) Spanish translation coming soon
How the court describes it (original, English)
TRANSCRIPT of Proceedings as to Hugo Armando Carvajal-Barrios re: Plea held on 6/25/2025 before Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein. Court Reporter/Transcriber: Nicole DIMasi, (212) 805-0320, Transcript may be viewed at the court public terminal or purchased through the Court Reporter/Transcriber before the deadline for Release of Transcript Restriction. After that date it may be obtained through PACER. Redaction Request due 7/30/2025. Redacted Transcript Deadline set for 8/11/2025. Release of Transcript Restriction set for 10/7/2025. (McGuirk, Kelly) (Entered: 07/09/2025)

Our plain-language summary of a public court record, written with AI help and checked against the document. It is not a finding of guilt or legal advice. See a mistake? Tell us

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