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.
History
Univision has described the unit as a "low-profile" component of the National Guard.
General Ramón Guillén Dávila, a commanding general of the Anti-Drug National Command was accused of drug trafficking in the 1990s.
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".
The CIA installed an operations center with the Anti-Drug National Command's offices in Colinas de Las Acacias urbanization of
Caracas
Caracas (, ), officially Santiago de León de Caracas, abbreviated as CCS, is the capital and largest city of Venezuela, and the center of the Metropolitan Region of Caracas (or Greater Caracas). Caracas is located along the Guaire River in the ...
, establishing a direct network to the
El Paso Intelligence Center.
According to the
United States Drug Enforcement Administration
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA; ) is a United States federal law enforcement agency under the U.S. Department of Justice tasked with combating drug trafficking and distribution within the U.S. It is the lead agency for domestic en ...
, over 200 kilograms destined for the United States never reached their targets in 1991.
However, Operation North was performed unknown to the DEA and Venezuelan authorities.
Both generals were later pardoned by President
Carlos Andrés Pérez
Carlos Andrés Pérez Rodríguez (27 October 1922 – 25 December 2010) also known as CAP and often referred to as '' El Gocho'' (due to his Andean origins), was a Venezuelan politician and the president of Venezuela from 12 March 1974 to 12 M ...
in 1993 and the CIA pulled out of Venezuela.
The Operation North incident led to the origin of the term "
Cartel of the Suns", the suspected involvement of Venezuelan generals in drug trafficking.
Controversy
Drug trafficking
Officials linked to the Anti-Drug National Command have been sanctioned for their alleged participation with
corruption in Venezuela
The level of corruption in Venezuela is very high by world standards and is prevalent throughout many levels of Venezuelan society. Discovery of oil in Venezuela in the early 20th century has worsened political corruption. The large amount of ...
.
Néstor Reverol
Néstor Luis Reverol Torres (born 28 October 1964) holds the position of Minister of the People's Power for Interior Relations and Justice of Venezuela and is currently Commander General of the National Guard of Venezuela. On 3 August 2016, he w ...
, who served under Guillén Dávila, was later accused of drug trafficking as well and was sanctioned by the United States in 2016.
Eustiquio José Lugo Gómez, the former Operations Director was sanctioned by the United States on 27 June 2019.
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.
Three members of the Anti-Drug National Command were later linked to the event and brought to court in Venezuela.
References
{{Reflist
Illegal drug trade in Venezuela