In April 2006, members of the Venezuelan National Guard transported a consignment of 128 suitcases filled with cocaine aboard five vans to an aircraft stationed in a presidential hangar at Maiquetía International Airport near Caracas. The operation, quickly dubbed the “narco-plane” case, involved 5.5 tonnes of cocaine destined for Mexico and the Sinaloa Cartel led by Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán.
The illicit shipment was not without complications. According to reports, members of the Guardia Nacional Bolivariana (GNB) demanded and received bribes to alter the flight plan, ensuring the origin and destination of the aircraft remained concealed. The hangar, a restricted military area separate from the commercial terminal, was chosen specifically to avoid scrutiny, as it housed the presidential fleet.
The operation unravelled when the aircraft, registered as N900 SA, was intercepted at Ciudad del Carmen airport in Campeche, Mexico. Mexican authorities seized the cocaine and allegedly requested a substantial payment to suppress information regarding the Venezuelan authorization of the flight. Further payments, totaling $2.5 million, were reportedly made by the cartel to prevent investigation within Venezuela, according to Mexican media outlets including El Norte and Proceso.
While the total profit Venezuela derived from the cocaine sale remains unknown, the need to pay off Mexican officials to maintain secrecy significantly reduced potential earnings. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) had been monitoring the aircraft, N9000SA, due to its prior involvement in drug trafficking operations originating from Venezuela.
Subsequent investigations pointed to Diosdado Cabello as the recipient of funds and Nicolás Maduro as a key figure aware of and directing the operation. The case was initially published by Proceso following the 2006 Mexican elections and resurfaced following accusations leveled against Maduro by the U.S. Department of Justice.
The GNB, a component of the National Armed Forces of Venezuela, is tasked with gendarmerie duties, environmental protection, road and border security, and civil defense. Founded in 1937, the force currently comprises approximately 23,000 personnel. Major General Elio Ramón Estrada Paredes currently serves as Commanding General of the National Guard, reporting to Minister of Defense, Major General Vladimir Padrino López.
The GNB’s vision, according to its official website, is to be “a military institution, strengthened, respected and necessary, at the permanent service of the Venezuelan people.” However, the organization has faced accusations of human rights violations and alleged involvement in international drug trafficking, including through the “Cartel of the Suns.”