The United States justice has asked a federal court in the Southern District of New York to sentence Venezuelan general Clíver Alcalá to 30 years in prison for drug trafficking and delivery of weapons to the disappeared FARC. Alcalá, a former right-hand man of Hugo Chávez and Nicolás Maduro, pleaded guilty to the charges in a hearing in June 2020.
According to prosecutors, Alcalá supported the FARC “for years,” protecting the guerrilla group from military forces and the Venezuelan justice system. He also delivered military material to the FARC and conspired to ensure that FARC drugs were not interfered with at Maiquetía, Venezuela’s largest airport. In exchange, he reportedly received millions of dollars in bribes.
The sentence requested by the Department of Justice represents a warning for the Maduro regime and builds on the U.S. government’s efforts to hold accountable those involved in drug trafficking and supporting terrorist organizations. These actions implicated the late President Hugo Chávez, and Alcalá’s role in facilitating FARC operations involving drug trafficking from Venezuelan territory.
Despite his defense asking for a six-year prison sentence, the U.S. Department of Justice has contested this request, stating that it would be “totally inappropriate” given the severity of Alcalá’s actions. The defense’s arguments, related to Alcalá’s confinement during the COVID-19 pandemic and his family ties, have been dismissed as irrelevant.
The judgment against Alcalá comes at a time when the U.S.-Venezuela diplomatic relationship is relatively tense, and it sends a strong message about the consequences for individuals involved in drug trafficking, arms transfers, and terrorist support operations.
The justice system is set to decide on Alcalá’s sentencing in a hearing scheduled for January 18.