Spain's High Court has ordered the immediate extradition of Hugo Carvajal, the former director of Venezuelan military intelligence, to the United States.

Carvajal is wanted on drug trafficking charges and has been accused of providing support to the FARC guerrilla group in Colombia. The US has alleged that Carvajal used his position to coordinate the smuggling of 5,600 kilograms of cocaine from Venezuela to Mexico in 2006.

He is also believed to have potentially incriminating evidence against Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. Spain's National Court, which handles extraditions, has ordered Interpol to deliver Carvajal to US authorities. The court had previously suspended Carvajal's extradition when he appealed the decision at the European Court of Human Rights.

However, the appeal was rejected, and the court has now lifted the precautionary measure, paving the way for his extradition. Carvajal has consistently denied any involvement in drug trafficking or the activities of the FARC. He has been in Spanish custody since his arrest in September 2021.