"I write to atone for my sins by revealing the entire truth, so the United States can defend itself from the dangers I witnessed for so many years," begins Hugo Armando "El Pollo" Carvajal, the former head of Venezuela's Military Intelligence. This politically charged letter was sent from his cell in a U.S. federal prison to President Trump.
The letter, exclusively revealed by The Dallas Express, not only confirms the assertion that Nicolás Maduro's regime operates as a narcoterrorist organization but also elaborates on Cuba's crucial role in the creation of the Cartel of the Suns and other criminal structures across the region.
Carvajal, who was a key figure in the security apparatus of the chavista regime for more than a decade, was extradited from Spain in 2023 and pleaded guilty in June 2025 in a U.S. federal court to drug trafficking conspiracy and support for terrorist groups.
According to his attorney, Robert Feitel, a former Justice Department prosecutor, the letter seeks not only to cooperate with U.S. authorities but also to warn about the extent of the criminal network that he claims is led and maintained by the regimes of Venezuela and Cuba.
Cuba: Strategic Mastermind Behind the Cartel of the Suns
One of Carvajal's most compelling claims is Cuba's role in the inception of the narcotics strategy with geopolitical aims. "This plan was suggested by the Cuban regime to Chávez in the mid-2000s," he wrote.
The former intelligence chief alleges that it was Havana that proposed using cocaine as a weapon to weaken the United States, a deliberate policy executed by the chavismo with support from the FARC, ELN, Hezbollah, and Cuban intelligence agents.
The retired major general states that the Cuban intelligence showed him "their networks inside their naval bases on the East Coast. They boasted of having sent thousands of spies over decades, some of whom are now career politicians."
He goes further, claiming that U.S. diplomats and agents were bribed to aid the regimes of Chávez and Maduro, operating as double agents for Cuba and Venezuela. "Some remain active to this day," he warned.
The Cartel of the Suns: From Venezuela to the Caribbean with Cuban Endorsement
Carvajal asserts, "The purpose of this organization, now known as the Cartel of the Suns, is to use drugs as a weapon against the United States." The cartel allegedly operates under the leadership of Nicolás Maduro, Diosdado Cabello, and other top chavista officials. What was previously an accusation upheld by U.S. agencies, Carvajal confirms from within.
He insists that it wasn't a collusion between traditional drug traffickers and a corrupt state, but a state strategy executed by Venezuela's intelligence and military apparatus, with Cuban advice. The drugs didn't "reach your cities by new routes" by chance: "These were deliberate policies coordinated by the Venezuelan regime against the United States."
Cuba's support was reportedly not only logistical or formative. "The regime has provided weapons, passports, and impunity to these terrorist organizations to operate freely from Venezuela," Carvajal indicates.
Tren de Aragua: A Paramilitary Group Exported
In another part of the letter, Carvajal describes how the chavismo designed and deployed internal criminal structures as political tools. "I was present when decisions were made to organize and weaponize criminal gangs throughout Venezuela to protect the regime, including the group known as Tren de Aragua," he explained.
Chávez reportedly ordered the recruitment of criminal leaders, even from prisons, to defend the revolution in exchange for impunity. After his death, Maduro intensified this strategy, "exporting criminality and chaos abroad" with the dual purpose of cleaning internal statistics and attacking political exiles.
Carvajal claims that following the Biden-Harris administration's "open borders" policy, the regime took advantage of infiltrating these groups into U.S. territory. "They now have obedient and armed personnel in the United States," he asserts.
Espionage, Russians, and Smartmatic
The letter also outlines a complex network of espionage and hybrid warfare. Carvajal reveals that he witnessed the arrival of Russian intelligence agents in Caracas with a proposal to intercept the underwater cables connecting South America to the United States to spy on their communications.
Although he warned Maduro that it would have military consequences, Carvajal claims he was ignored. Regarding the company Smartmatic, Carvajal contends it was designed as a tool for electoral manipulation from the start: "I know because I appointed the head of IT at the National Electoral Council, and he reported directly to me. The Smartmatic system can be altered; this is a fact."
He asserts this technology was exported, even to the United States, where it was allegedly used for political purposes.
An Undeclared War
The letter serves both as a political and judicial document. Carvajal offers cooperation to U.S. authorities and expresses his willingness to disclose more details in classified reports. The goal: to strengthen ongoing drug trafficking cases and reshape U.S. foreign policy toward Venezuela and Cuba.
"People of the United States, do not be mistaken about the threat posed by allowing a narcoterrorist organization to roam freely in the Caribbean," he warns. He adds that the regime he served "is not just hostile; it is at war with you, using drugs, gangs, espionage, and even your own democratic processes as weapons."
Political Reactions and Impact
The release of this letter coincides with a new U.S. military offensive against Venezuelan drug boats and the deployment of the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford in the Caribbean.
Additionally, Secretary of State Marco Rubio declared, "Maduro's regime is not a legitimate government. It is a transshipment organization allowing cocaine transit through Venezuela to the United States."
The letter also comes at a time when Donald Trump has hardened his stance against Caracas. For Carvajal, "President Trump's policies against Maduro's criminal regime are not only justified but necessary and proportional to the threat."
Hugo "El Pollo" Carvajal's letter to Donald Trump not only confirms longstanding accusations against the chavismo but introduces a new level of involvement: that of the Cuban regime as the mastermind and coordinator of an unconventional war against the United States. If judicially corroborated, his revelations could impact the future of hemispheric relations and reinforce the U.S. narrative that Venezuela and Cuba are no longer mere political adversaries but active players in an international criminal network with strategic objectives.
Implications of Carvajal's Revelations on U.S.-Cuba Relations
What role does Cuba allegedly play in the Cartel of the Suns?
According to Carvajal, Cuba plays a strategic role in the formation and operational planning of the Cartel of the Suns, using narcotics as a geopolitical weapon to undermine the United States.
How has the U.S. responded to the allegations made by Carvajal?
The U.S. has increased military operations in the Caribbean, targeting Venezuelan drug routes, and political figures like Marco Rubio have emphasized the illegitimacy of Maduro's regime, aligning with Carvajal's assertions.
What are the potential consequences of Carvajal’s letter for international relations?
If Carvajal's allegations are verified, they could significantly impact U.S.-Cuba relations, reinforcing perceptions of Cuba as a key player in international narcoterrorism and potentially leading to stricter U.S. policies against both Cuba and Venezuela.