Venezuela’s Former Spy Chief Speaks from U.S. Prison (Venezuela)

Hugo Carvajal Barrios — Venezuela’s former Director of Military Intelligence, a three-star general trusted by both Hugo Chávez and Nicolás Maduro, and a former Deputy in Venezuela’s National Assembly — penned an open letter to President Donald J. Trump and the American people on December 2, 2025, writing from a U.S. federal prison where he is serving time after pleading guilty to narco-terrorism conspiracy charges. Known as “El Pollo” (The Chicken), Carvajal is one of the most senior Venezuelan intelligence officials ever to cooperate with the United States. Key topics addressed: Narco-Terrorism as Deliberate State Policy, Tren de Aragua, Russian Espionage and Smartmatic.