Anti-Drug National Command

The Anti-Drug National Command is an operating unit of the Venezuelan National Guard that is tasked with preventing illegal drug trade within Venezuela. The unit is headed by General Arturo Olivar.[1]

Anti-Drug National Command
Allegiance Venezuela
BranchVenezuelan National Guard
Commanders
Current
commander		Arturo Olivar

History

Univision has described the unit as a "low-profile" component of the National Guard.[2] General Ramón Guillén Dávila, a commanding general of the Anti-Drug National Command was accused of drug trafficking in the 1990s.[2] Ramón Guillén Dávila and his successor Orlando Hernández Villegas allegedly cooperated with the Central Intelligence Agency in "controlled deliveries of cocaine" in a program titled "Operation North".[3][4] The CIA installed an operations center with the Anti-Drug National Command's offices in Colinas de Las Acacias urbanization of Caracas, establishing a direct network to the El Paso Intelligence Center.[5] According to the United States Drug Enforcement Administration, over 200 kilograms destined for the United States never reached their targets in 1991.[4] However, Operation North was performed unknown to the DEA and Venezuelan authorities.[5] Both generals were later pardoned by President Carlos Andrés Pérez in 1993 and the CIA pulled out of Venezuela.[3][5] The Operation North incident led to the origin of the term "Cartel of the Suns", the suspected involvement of Venezuelan generals in drug trafficking.[6]

Controversy

Drug trafficking
Further information: Illegal drug trade in Venezuela

Officials linked to the Anti-Drug National Command have been sanctioned for their alleged participation with corruption in Venezuela. Néstor Reverol, who served under Guillén Dávila, was later accused of drug trafficking as well and was sanctioned by the United States in 2016.[2] Eustiquio José Lugo Gómez, the former Operations Director was sanctioned by the United States on 27 June 2019.[7]

Low-ranking members have also been involved in drug trafficking incidents. On 11 September 2013, French officials seized 1.3 tons of cocaine arriving from an Air France flight from Venezuela; the largest cocaine seizure in France's history.[8] Three members of the Anti-Drug National Command were later linked to the event and brought to court in Venezuela.[8]

References
  1. "Venezuela desmantela red de drogas que operaba hacia Europa y Medio Oriente". EFE (in Spanish). 28 February 2018. Retrieved 11 August 2019.
  2. Peñaloza, Pedro Pablo (2 August 2016). "Reverol, el héroe antidrogas del chavismo al que EEUU acusa de narcotráfico". Univision (in Spanish). Retrieved 2019-08-11.
  3. Lares, Fermin (2015). The Chavismo Files. Page Publishing Inc.
  4. "DETENIDO JEFE DE LA POLICÍA VENEZOLANA". El Tiempo (in Spanish). 1993-08-26. Retrieved 2019-08-11.
  5. Mayorca, Javier (2008). Venezuela: las consecuencias del aislamiento en la lucha antidrogas. Instituto Latinoamericano de Investigaciones Sociales. pp. 5–6.
  6. "Mitos y realidades sobre el Cartel de los soles en Venezuela". Runrunes. 28 January 2015. Retrieved 2019-08-11.
  7. "El Tesoro sanciona a funcionarios del régimen ilegítimo de Maduro involucrados en vasta corrupción – Traducciones". United States Department of State (in European Spanish). Retrieved 2019-08-11.
  8. "Venezuela y Francia: nueve detenidos por tráfico de cocaína | DW | 23.09.2013". Deutsche Welle (in European Spanish). 23 September 2013. Retrieved 11 August 2019.
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