GUIDE
Where is Hugo "El Pollo" Carvajal? Guilty plea, pending sentence and the Maduro case
Who he is
Hugo Armando Carvajal Barrios, known as "El Pollo", ran Venezuelan military intelligence for years under Hugo Chávez. He broke with Maduro in 2019, fled to Spain, and was extradited to the United States in July 2023.
Where he is and what happened
He is in U.S. federal custody. His case sits on the same Southern District of New York docket as Nicolás Maduro (1:11-cr-00205), before the same judge, Alvin K. Hellerstein. In June 2025 he pleaded guilty to narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine-importation conspiracy and weapons charges.
Sentencing
He has not been sentenced. The date moved several times: in February 2026 it was pushed back after a storm closed the court and reset for April 16; that day it was suspended again, this time with no new date and no reason given.
A witness against Maduro?
In December 2025 he wrote to President Trump offering information about the Chávez-Maduro government. Several outlets and lawyers point to him as a possible witness at Maduro's trial, set for June 2027, and read the delays as a sign of cooperation. Neither prosecutors nor his defense have confirmed it publicly.
Timeline
- Sentencing suspended with no new date; the court gives no reason. Infobae
- Sentencing, delayed by a court closure, is reset for April 16. Infobae
- Maduro, charged on the same docket, is captured and flown to New York. Wikipedia (case summary)
- Pleads guilty to narco-terrorism, cocaine importation and weapons charges. U.S. Department of Justice (SDNY)
- Extradited from Spain to the United States. Wikipedia
Related cases
- Where is Nicolás Maduro being held? Charges, dates and timeline
- Alex Saab: pleaded guilty in Miami
- Tocorón Watch: every new court filing
Sources
- U.S. Department of Justice (SDNY) · Guilty plea (June 2025)
- Infobae · Sentencing suspended with no date (Apr 17, 2026)
- Infobae · Sentencing reset for April 16 (Feb 24, 2026)
- Wikipedia · Hugo Carvajal
Common questions
- Where is Hugo Carvajal now?
- In U.S. federal custody, awaiting sentencing in the Southern District of New York.
- Has Hugo Carvajal been sentenced?
- No. As of September 25, 2026 his sentencing is suspended with no date; the last postponement was April 16, 2026.
- Will he testify against Maduro?
- Not confirmed. Outlets and lawyers mention him as a possible witness, but neither prosecutors nor his defense have said so publicly.
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