Hugo Carvajal, former intelligence director of Venezuela, detained in Madrid

(CNN Spanish) -

Former Venezuelan intelligence director Hugo Carvajal Barrios, who faces accusations of international drug trafficking in the United States, was arrested this Thursday in Madrid, according to the Spanish National Police on Twitter.

"The 'Pollo Carvajal' was arrested tonight in Madrid, a fugitive from justice and wanted for extradition to the United States," the tweet reads.

"He lived totally cloistered, without going outside (sic) or looking out the window, and always protected by trusted people," he added in the publication.

The Police published next to the tweet a video that shows a man being handcuffed inside what appears to be a house.

🚩The "Pollo Carvajal" was arrested tonight in #Madrid, a fugitive from justice and wanted for his extradiction to #EEUU.

He lived totally cloistered, without going outside or looking out the window, and always protected by trusted people. # SomosTuPolicia pic.twitter.com/U7D7iKkQDg

- National Police (@policia) September 9, 2021

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CNN is attempting to contact the Spanish Police for more details regarding the arrest.

In addition, CNN attempts to communicate with Carvajal's defense to obtain their reaction to the arrest.

So far, the government of the questioned president of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro, has not reacted.

CNN is trying to contact the government to find out if they have any comments on Carvajal's arrest.

Carvajal had been unaccounted for since November 8, 2019, when the plenary session of the Criminal Chamber of the Spanish National Court agreed to extradite him to the United States to be tried for alleged drug trafficking, among other crimes.

At the time, Carvajal said in a statement shared through his social networks that "this decision of the National Court is a legal aberration that violated my rights."

His wife, Angélica Flores, recalled that position days later when she reported in a video that Carvajal had said goodbye to her in order "not to be the object of injustice," in reference to the extradition agreement.

In November 2019, María Dolores de Argüelles, Carvajal's lawyer, reported that they would appeal the decision to the Supreme Court (the next competent body for a contentious appeal such as the one they will present) and that, if necessary, they would exhaust “all avenues ”To avoid the extradition of his client.

In May, the US State Department offered a reward of up to $ 10 million for information leading to Carvajal's arrest and / or conviction.

Carvajal left Venezuela to take refuge in Spain some time ago.

He said that he chose that country because he trusted "that its institutions would reveal the lies and inconsistencies with which the US Prosecutor's Office persecutes me." However, he later clarified that "far from protecting me, the Spanish government and the National Court have committed serious irregularities in me against ".