CARACAS (Reuters) – The European Court of Human Rights has rejected a former director of Venezuelan military intelligence’s bid to avoid extradition from Spain. The individual in question, Hugo Carvajal, is wanted by the United States on drug trafficking charges.
In 2020, the United States accused Carvajal, who had served as the eyes and ears of late President Hugo Chavez within Venezuela’s military for over a decade, of drug trafficking. Along with more than a dozen other high-ranking officials, including current President Nicolas Maduro, Carvajal found himself at the center of the allegations.
Carvajal was arrested by Spanish police in September 2021 at an apartment in Madrid. He is currently being held in Estremera, located outside the capital. Despite these charges, Carvajal maintains his innocence, denying any involvement in supporting cocaine trafficking to the United States.
The European Court of Human Rights stated in a press release, “Mr Carvajal Barrios failed to convincingly prove that he faced the risk of being sentenced to life imprisonment without parole. Therefore, we find the application to be without merit.” The court firmly emphasizes that its decision is binding.
The court further adds, “Given that Carvajal has not yet been tried, it is challenging to determine the final outcome. However, we are confident that he will receive a fair trial within a legal system that upholds the rule of law and guarantees his full opportunity to mount a defense with the assistance of legal representation.”
In 2014, Venezuela’s ruling party successfully secured Carvajal’s release when he was initially arrested in Aruba. However, he fled to Spain in 2021 after distancing himself from the government and lending support to an opposition leader.
(Reporting by Luc Cohen and Vivian Sequera; Writing by Julia Symmes Cobb; Editing by Conor Humphries)
Credit: The Star : News Feed
