Following a decision from a Spanish court yesterday that opened the door to his extradition to the United States, Hugo “El Pollo” Carvajal is still free, his relatives and legal team said in a statement released earlier today.
The statement also says that Carvajal is still in Spain, and that he is “willing to comply with the law”, suggesting that the former military intelligence chief is not planning a legal challenge to yesterday’s court ruling.
The same statement says the following:
General Hugo Carvajal… does not intend to disobey Spanish law, and remains determined to comply with the law and with restoring democracy to Venezuela.
Carvajal was the head of Venezuela’s military intelligence agency (DGCIM) for over a decade, placing him at the top echelon of both the Chavez and Maduro governments. He broke away from the Maduro regime earlier this year, and accused the president of heading an authoritarian dictatorship.
This past September, a Spanish court denied a US extradition request for Carvajal, after authorities in that country accused him of trafficking drugs into the US.
The statement from Carvajal’s team says that they have not yet received official notification of yesterday’s court decision, which overturned the one made in September, thus opening the door for Carvajal’s extradition.
On the possibility of Carvajal’s extradition, the same statement argues that yesterday’s ruling only opens the door for his extradition, but that the Spanish government would next have to accept the US request for that to take place.
Three Killed, Over Two Dozen Injured in Caracas Concert Stampede
Three people were killed and at least 30 others were injured during a stampede at a free concert in Caracas’ Parque del Este today. The stampede took place when concertgoers attempted to scale one of the park’s fences in order to get into the venue.
The concert featured a Venezuelan artist who goes by the stage name Neutro Shorty.
Below, a clip showing people scaling one of the park’s fences earlier today:
According to the Instituto Nacional de Parques [National Parks Institute], the concert organizers did not have the authorization to hold the event.
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