The Cuban government rejected accusations of complicity in drug trafficking on December 7, stemming from a former Venezuelan intelligence chief imprisoned in the United States. Hugo Carvajal, known as 'El Pollo,' implicated Cuba in a letter to President Donald Trump. The claims highlight alleged joint plans with the Venezuelan regime since Hugo Chávez's era.
On December 7, Cuba's Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez defended the country's stance in combating drug trafficking, recalling signed bilateral and multilateral agreements. This came after a three-page letter dated December 2, 2025, from Hugo Carvajal to Donald Trump, published by Dallas Express. Carvajal, extradited from Spain in 2023 and now imprisoned in the US, described Hugo Chávez's government as a criminal organization now led by Nicolás Maduro and Diosdado Cabello.
In the letter, Carvajal claimed to have witnessed the Venezuelan regime's transformation into a criminal entity. He accused the Cuban regime of masterminding the Cartel of the Suns, a plan suggested to Chávez in the mid-2000s with assistance from the FARC, ELN, Cuban agents, and Hezbollah. He also noted the role of the Smartmatic electoral automation system, counterintelligence activities, and espionage against the United States.
"The Cuban intelligence service showed me its networks inside US naval bases on the East Coast. They boasted of having sent thousands of spies over decades, some of whom are now career politicians," Carvajal wrote. He further alleged that Cuba infiltrated spies into US naval bases and provided weapons, documents, and intelligence cover for criminal operations from Venezuelan territory.
The Cuban government responded in an unusual press conference, with officials from the Interior Ministry and Justice Ministry, denying any connection without directly mentioning the letter or Carvajal. They presented data on border control actions, seized contraband, and punishments for traffickers. These accusations revive sensitivities from Case No. 1 of 1989, amid escalating regional tensions and growing US military pressure in the Caribbean. Though lacking concrete evidence, Carvajal's statements fuel doubts about Cuban influence in Venezuela, where Maduro's personal security is overseen from Havana.