The client was assured by a broker named Luisito that a relative within the Venezuelan military, associated with influential figures known as the “Suns,” could ensure the safe transport of a container holding 32 kilograms of cocaine disguised in electrical generators onto a ship docked in a Venezuelan port. The intended destination for the cocaine was Libya. Wiretap recordings revealed Luisito, taking on the role of the broker, offering assurances to the client, known as Julio, that the Venezuelan military officers overseeing the port would not steal either the money or the illicit cargo.
The wiretap recordings were part of a two-year Colombian federal police investigation that successfully uncovered a multinational drug-smuggling ring operating out of Colombia, trafficking cocaine to various regions including the U.S., Europe, Asia, and northern Africa. The investigation, initiated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), intercepted conversations among group members discussing collaborations with Venezuelan military officials responsible for the Guarano International Port in Falcón state.
The Venezuelan government has denied any involvement in drug trafficking, and no wiretap evidence gathered by CBC News implicated government officials or military personnel. In the intercepted conversations, Luisito frequently referred to high-ranking Venezuelan military officers as “the Suns,” denoting their rank insignias, and associated the ruling United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) with the color red.
The former agent who worked on the case highlighted the existence of the “Cartel of the Suns,” comprising senior Venezuelan military officers who wielded significant control over cocaine shipments from the country. The agent stated that through confidential sources, they learned about clandestine airstrips used for drug transportation, indicating deep-seated connections between the Venezuelan regime and the narcotics trade.
The federal criminal case brought against captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, by the U.S. alleges charges of conspiracy to commit narco-terrorism and cocaine importation, among others. The indictment describes the Cartel of the Suns as a network where Venezuelan elites profit from drug trafficking and protect associated traffickers.
The intercepted wiretaps from April 2016 showcased Julio’s plan to move the cocaine-filled container, disguised as generators, from Venezuela to Brazil and then onward to Libya. Julio, dissatisfied with a previous contact, sought Luisito’s assistance, who claimed previous success in smuggling cocaine to Portugal hidden in charcoal shipments. Luisito mentioned his relative’s affiliation with the United Socialist Party of Venezuela and their influence in Punto Fijo, the city adjacent to Guarano International Port.
Julio expressed concerns about potential theft by the authorities, prompting Luisito to reassure him that the military, particularly the Suns, managed the port operations and were primarily interested in U.S. dollars for offshore transactions. Luisito advised Julio to ensure proper documentation to pass through customs smoothly, emphasizing that military officers focused on anti-narcotics screening only.
Ultimately, the shipment reached Libya, but both Luisito and Julio were apprehended, convicted, and imprisoned for their involvement in the drug trafficking scheme.
