The drug lord chose to go to trial rather than reach a deal with the prosecution. He never considered becoming a collaborator with the Justice Department. He went to trial, was found guilty, and now faces life in prison.
The Southern District Court of New York (SDNY) has postponed the sentencing of Venezuelan Carlos Eduardo Orense Azócar, known as “El Gordo,” one of the key logistical operators of the Cartel of the Suns, a criminal network made up of high-ranking officials in the Chavista regime. The hearing, initially scheduled for October 8, 2025, has been delayed for procedural reasons, according to court documents and close sources. A new date has not been publicly announced, though some reports suggest it might take place before the end of the year.
The Orense Azócar case has become a symbol of institutionalized drug trafficking in Venezuela, where the military and political structure has been accused by the United States of being directly involved in the shipment of cocaine to U.S. territory.
Who is Carlos Orense Azócar?
Born in 1957, Orense Azócar, now 68, has been described by the DEA and the Southern District Prosecutor’s Office in New York as a high-level logistical operator within the Cartel of the Suns.
For nearly two decades, from 2003 to 2021, he coordinated the shipment of dozens of tons of cocaine to the United States using maritime and aerial routes from Venezuela, the Dominican Republic, Colombia, and Mexico.
His criminal network worked with Colombian guerrillas like the FARC and ELN, as well as Mexican cartels such as Sinaloa and the Beltrán Leyvas. He also bribed Venezuelan officials to ensure the delivery of shipments from airports controlled by the Bolivarian National Guard.
Investigations revealed that his fortune, amassed through drug trafficking and money laundering, was funneled through companies linked to PDVSA and contracts with state institutions. In 2016, authorities seized nearly a ton of cocaine related to his operational structure.
From Maiquetía to Manhattan: arrest and extradition
On May 23, 2021, Orense was arrested at a small bed & breakfast in Casalvieri, Italy, following a joint operation by the DEA and Italian authorities. A year later, he was extradited to New York, where he faced federal charges for conspiracy to import cocaine, use of automatic weapons, and criminal association to promote drug trafficking.
In the case United States v. Azócar, the U.S. prosecution presented evidence of communications, transactions, and testimonies linking him to high-ranking Chavista figures, including Diosdado Cabello, Tareck El Aissami, Pedro Luis Martín Olivares, and Hugo “El Pollo” Carvajal.
The trial, presided over by Judge Vernon S. Broderick, occurred between November and December 2023. On December 12, 2023, a jury unanimously found him guilty on all three counts.
A sentence that could set a precedent
The U.S. Prosecutor’s Office, led by Damian Williams, regards this case as one of the most emblematic in its offensive against transnational organized crime linked to the Venezuelan State.
The final conviction could imply a life sentence plus an additional 30 years, depending on judicial evaluation and potential cooperation from the defendant with authorities.
So far, Orense has not shown a willingness to cooperate with the prosecution. His silence concerns high-ranking Chavista officials, as his testimony could reveal internal details about the structure of the Cartel of the Suns and the complicity of active military personnel in drug trafficking.
Delays, motions, and legal maneuvers
Since January 2024, the defense has filed multiple motions under Rule 33, seeking a new trial due to alleged procedural errors and biases among cooperating witnesses. In September, Judge Broderick granted an extension until November 15, 2024 for closing arguments, postponing the sentencing.
This continuous postponement has fueled speculation about possible cooperation agreements or diplomatic pressures related to accusations against high Venezuelan officials. Nonetheless, sources consulted by Venezuelapolitica.info state that the drug lord has repeatedly refused to be a witness for the prosecution.
The Orense Azócar case
The judicial process against Carlos Orense Azócar transcends criminality: it signifies a direct blow to the heart of the corruption and drug trafficking system of Chavismo. For the United States, the conviction demonstrates that the Cartel of the Suns operates as a hybrid apparatus between state and criminal organization, utilizing public resources, armed forces, and international networks to finance its hold on power.
If Orense Azócar decides to cooperate with U.S. justice, it could trigger a new wave of accusations against military personnel, businessmen, and officials linked to drug trafficking and money laundering from PDVSA.
Should he choose not to, his sentence will be one of the most severe imposed on a Venezuelan drug trafficker on U.S. soil.
The sentence of Carlos Orense Azócar will be critical to understanding the true scope of the Cartel of the Suns and its influence within the Venezuelan state.
The postponement ordered by the New York Court extends uncertainty but also reinforces international expectations regarding a process that could expose— for the first time with judicial evidence—how drug trafficking has infiltrated the structure of Chavista power.