On Monday, January 12, Carlos Orense Azócar, a key figure in the Cartel of the Suns, was sentenced in the Southern District Court of New York after being found guilty of serious drug trafficking offenses by a jury. Judge Vernon Broderick stated that U.S. justice sends a message to the kingpins who bring cocaine into American territory, funding bribes to military and government officials in Venezuela, including Hugo Carvajal Barrios, Cliver Alcalá Cordones, Néstor Reverol, Tareck El Aissami, and Luis Buitriago.
In the complex world of transnational drug trafficking, few cases illustrate the intersection between state power and organized crime as clearly as that of Carlos Eduardo Orense Azócar, known as “El Gordo.” This 70-year-old Venezuelan, originally from Anaco in the Anzoátegui state, has been a key player in the so-called Cartel of the Suns, a criminal network involving high-ranking military and political officials in Venezuela. His journey culminated in a shocking conviction for drug trafficking and possession of firearms in the Southern District Court of New York, where he was found guilty by a jury. The defense requested a less severe sentence due to his advanced age and health problems, arguing that life imprisonment was a harsh outcome.
Prosecutors based their case on an investigation revealing that Orense Azócar operated for more than 18 years as a logistical facilitator for the shipment of thousands of kilograms of cocaine to the United States, backed by Venezuelan institutions such as the Bolivarian National Armed Forces (FANB) and Petroleos de Venezuela (PDVSA). Judge Vernon S. Broderick—after multiple delays, the last in December 2025—sealed Orense’s fate with the verdict on December 2023: he would spend the remainder of his life behind bars. For a few months, he will remain at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, where he has been for over three and a half years. His associate Hugo Carvajal Barrios is also there, along with Nicolás Maduro and Cilia Flores.
Carlos Orense Azócar did not appear out of nowhere in the criminal world. Before his involvement in drug trafficking, he worked as a customs official and financial inspector in Venezuela. In the 2000s, he became the owner of a dairy farm in Anaco, but his true rise came with the Cartel of the Suns, which uses military uniforms and state resources to protect drug shipments. According to the U.S. Department of Justice’s indictment, Orense facilitated clandestine airstrips in Venezuelan territory, coordinated multimillion-dollar payments, and ensured the protection of cocaine shipments from Colombia, destined for Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Mexico, and ultimately, the United States.
His connections were top-notch: testimonies during the trial directly linked him to Hugo Armando Carvajal Barrios, alias “El Pollo,” former chief of Venezuelan military intelligence; Diosdado Cabello, president of the National Assembly; and Tareck El Aissami, former vice president. Orense paid bribes to Venezuelan military personnel to use official uniforms in security operations and obtained fuel from PDVSA for airplanes and “go-fast boats.” Key shipments included 5,000 kilograms to Mexico in 2007-2008 and multiple 1,000-kilogram loads in Caracas between 2008 and 2009. In 2016, U.S. Coast Guard interceptions seized nearly 1,250 kilograms in operations linked to him.
Judge Broderick stated that Orense was not a mere transporter but played a structural role in the criminal organization. Cooperative witnesses (identified as CW-1, CW-2, CW-3, and CW-4 in court documents) described how he armed crews with AK-47s, M4s, and FN P90s to protect shipments, violating federal gun laws related to drug offenses. Unlike other defendants like Carvajal or Clíver Alcalá Cordones, Orense refused to cooperate with U.S. authorities, eliminating any chance of a reduced sentence.
Arrested in Italy in April 2021 under a red notice from Interpol, Orense was extradited to the U.S. in 2022. The case, United States v. Azocar (1:21-cr-00379, SDNY), began with charges of conspiracy to import cocaine (21 U.S.C. § 963), violation of maritime drug laws (46 U.S.C. § 70506), and possession of firearms in violent crimes (18 U.S.C. § 924(c) and (o)).
The trial, lasting 12 days in December 2023, presented overwhelming evidence: testimonies from cooperators, communication records, and seizures. The jury found him guilty on three of four charges, acquitting him only on the grenade launcher-related charge. The prosecution emphasized the harm caused by the flow of cocaine into the U.S., while the defense questioned the credibility of the witnesses.
The defense filed motions for a new trial in May 2025, arguing insufficient evidence, but Judge Broderick denied them. Sentencing was repeatedly postponed—from October 2025 to December 10, 2025, and again on that date, it became a status conference. The judge announced an imminent written decision, considering humanitarian factors under 18 U.S.C. § 3553(a). He today rejected all last-minute motions the defense sought, which aimed to gain an additional two weeks. Prosecutors opposed the request and argued that Orense Azócar should be sentenced to life in prison plus 30 years.
The sentence was finally imposed on January 12, 2026. The defense sought a minimum mandatory sentence: 30 years for drug charges plus 10 consecutive years for weapons, totaling 40 years. “For a 70-year-old man with hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and prostate issues, this means dying in prison—a de facto life sentence,” the defense argued in a 13-page memo, pleading for clemency, citing his family role (devoted father and grandfather), lack of previous convictions, and harsh conditions in MDC Brooklyn: blackouts, prolonged lockdowns, daily violence, and inadequate medical care. Letters from family members, like his daughter Virmaryz, describe the emotional impact: grandchildren asking about his return, fearing he might never again.
On the other hand, the prosecution insisted the case warranted life in prison plus 30 years, emphasizing the scale of the crime and Orense’s refusal to cooperate. Orense announced his intention to appeal the sentence, just as he did with the verdict, but the prospects look bleak.
This case exposes how the Cartel of the Suns operates as an extension of the Venezuelan state, exporting not only drugs but also corruption and violence. Orense Azócar could have been a key witness in trials against Maduro and others, but his silence condemns him. In a context where Venezuela serves as a hub for drug trafficking—with reports from 2024 indicating payments to military officials for protection—his downfall sends a message: U.S. justice is relentless in dismantling these networks.
Judge Broderick determined the fate of “El Gordo” and reminded that he will spend his life in prison, symbolizing the cost of aligning with narcoterrorism. His allies Hugo Carvajal, Néstor Reverol, Luis Buitriago, and Tareck El Aissami can expect similar sentences. Clíver Alcalá Cordones was sentenced to 21 years and 8 months in prison.