William Acosta for Poder & Dinero and FinGurú
The case of Major General José Luis Tremont Jiménez has triggered an unprecedented crisis in the Venezuelan power structure. The disappearance of the high-ranking official, the plane crash involving his wife and daughter, and the discovery of a cocaine shipment linked to the Cartel of the Suns have exposed the deep internal fracture within the military and political elite. This episode, which has captured national and international attention, is characterized by covert maneuvers, information manipulation, state repression, and the possible collaboration of Tremont with international intelligence agencies. Intelligence analysis transforms these scattered facts into strategic knowledge to understand the risks and threats facing Venezuela (Global Strategy, 2024; LISA Institute, 2022).
This report provides a comprehensive and chronological overview of the events, identifies key actors, and analyzes the strategic implications of the break between Tremont and Diosdado Cabello, a central figure in the Cartel of the Suns. The goal is to provide input for public policy makers, journalists, researchers, and the international community interested in regional stability. The Tremont crisis reveals the regime's vulnerability to corruption and drug trafficking, anticipating scenarios of conflict and institutional decomposition.
The Rise and Trajectory of General Tremont: From Military Heights to the Eye of the Hurricane
Major General José Luis Tremont Jiménez has been a prominent figure in the Bolivarian Military Aviation, with a rising career that led him to lead the Comprehensive Aerospace Defense Command (CODAI) in 2023 (Instagram, 2024). Recognized by his superiors and peers for his technical knowledge and leadership, Tremont accessed strategic information regarding military and civil operations in Venezuelan airspace. As the commander of CODAI, he had the authority to control the entry of aircraft, including those linked to illicit trafficking, placing himself in a key and high-risk position in an environment dominated by drug trafficking and institutional corruption (Contra Poder News, 2025).
Tremont's rise was publicly celebrated, highlighting his bravery and commitment to national defense (Instagram, 2024). However, his strategic role made him a target for criminal interests deeply rooted in the State, particularly the Cartel of the Suns, which uses military infrastructure to facilitate drug trafficking (Transparencia Venezuela, 2025).
The Cartel of the Suns: Power, Corruption, and Control of a Narco-State
The Cartel of the Suns is a criminal organization composed of high-ranking members of the government and the Bolivarian National Armed Forces (FANB), dedicated to cocaine trafficking, smuggling, and illegal mining. Investigations by international organizations and independent media have pointed to Nicolás Maduro and Diosdado Cabello as the main leaders of this structure (Cartel de los Soles, n.d.; Univision, 2025; La Tercera, 2024). The Cartel controls air and sea routes, uses military infrastructure, and manipulates radar systems to facilitate the passage of illicit aircraft, with an economic impact exceeding eight billion dollars just in 2024 (Transparencia Venezuela, 2025). The complicity between the regime and organized crime has turned Venezuela into a regional drug trafficking epicenter (CASLA Institute, 2025).
Chronology of a Scandal: Key Events that Redefined Power
In 2023, José Luis Tremont Jiménez takes command of CODAI, accessing strategic information regarding defense and drug trafficking operations (Contra Poder News, 2025).
On June 3, 2025, a private Cessna Citation YV3217, with Tremont's wife and daughter on board as passengers, disappears off the central coast after taking off from La Carlota bound for Margarita. Only the remains of the pilot and co-pilot were found (Extranewsmundo, 2025).
On June 7, 2025, fishermen in Catialamar find aircraft wreckage and packages of cocaine. Seven adults and one minor are arrested by the National Guard, accused of terrorism (Ibéyise Pacheco, 2025).
During June 2025, two main hypotheses arise: the first holds that Tremont faked his death and that of his family to escape with confidential information about the Cartel of the Suns; the second posits that the accident was real and that Tremont remains in the country, protected by the knowledge he possesses (Contra Poder News, 2025).
On June 11, 2025, reports indicate that Tremont may have escaped and is collaborating with the DEA, providing evidence against Diosdado Cabello (Elambito, 2025).
On June 13, 2025, Tremont reappears in an official video alongside Commander Elio Estrada Paredes, in a staged appearance that raises further doubts about his situation and the internal fracture (Ibéyise Pacheco, 2025).
Involved in the Storm: Protagonists and Victims of the Crisis
Major General José Luis Tremont Jiménez is the central figure. As commander of CODAI since 2023, his alleged desertion and possible collaboration with international agencies make him a key player in the crisis.
Diosdado Cabello, the second most powerful man in Chavismo and leader of the Cartel of the Suns, leads the hunt for Tremont after the loss of the drug shipment and the breakdown of internal trust.
Nicolás Maduro, President of Venezuela, is identified as the leader of the Cartel of the Suns and the principal author of the policy of repression and misinformation.
Milagros Salazar and Ana Karina Tremont, Tremont's wife and daughter, are presumed victims of the plane crash. Their whereabouts remain uncertain, fueling hypotheses of a simulated disappearance.
Charles Cordero and Miguel Linares, pilot and co-pilot of the crashed plane, are the only bodies found after the accident.
Fishermen and neighbors of Catialamar discovered the wreckage of the airplane and the drugs; they were arrested and wrongfully accused, reflecting state repression.
Irreversible Fracture: The Break between Tremont and Diosdado Cabello
The rupture between Tremont and Cabello is evident in substantial facts. Tremont is believed to have deserted taking confidential information about drug trafficking routes and operations of the Cartel of the Suns, which represents a direct betrayal to Cabello (Elambito, 2025). Reports indicate that Tremont is collaborating with the DEA, providing evidence implicating Cabello in illicit activities, marking a total breach and a devastating blow to Chavismo (Elambito, 2025).
Following the theft of the cocaine shipment, Tremont becomes the most wanted military figure for Cabello, who leads a relentless manhunt, including alleged assassination attempts and repression against civilians (Ibéyise Pacheco, 2025). Tremont's public appearance in an official video, under suspicious circumstances, is interpreted as an attempt to display control by the regime, but also as evidence that Tremont could be acting under coercion or even as a hostage of Cabello (Ibéyise Pacheco, 2025). The arrest of innocent fishermen, under charges of terrorism, was a direct response to orders from Cabello, illustrating the nervousness and urgency to regain control and protect their interests (Ibéyise Pacheco, 2025).
Intelligence Analysis: Priorities, Risks, and International Repercussions
The fracture in the military elite reveals a rupture between military and political sectors, especially between Tremont and Diosdado Cabello, the main figure associated with the Cartel of the Suns. The position of CODAI commander is perceived as “cursed” due to the risks and pressure from organized crime, undermining morale and internal cohesion (Contra Poder News, 2025).
The regime's immediate reaction to the loss of the shipment and the repression of civilians demonstrates that the protection of drug trafficking business takes precedence over justice or public safety. The use of state force to cover up and recover drugs reinforces the perception of a state captured by criminal interests (Transparencia Venezuela, 2025).
The regime has launched a disinformation campaign, accusing opponents and journalists of “cognitive warfare.” Tremont's public appearances in official videos have not dispelled doubts about his whereabouts or the veracity of the events (Extranewsmundo, 2025).
On the international front, if Tremont collaborates with agencies like the DEA and provides information about the Cartel of the Suns, sanctions and covert actions against the Chavista elite could increase. The case undermines the regime’s image of control and may encourage new desertions or fractures within the security apparatus (Infobae, 2025).
Conclusion: Venezuela Facing the Mirror of its Institutional Decomposition
The Tremont case represents a turning point in the recent history of Venezuela. The disappearance of the major general, the death of his family under suspicious circumstances, and the recovery of a cocaine shipment have highlighted the magnitude of the control that the Cartel of the Suns exerts over the state's institutions and the regime’s vulnerability to betrayal and the leakage of sensitive information. Tremont's actions, whether he has fled or remains in the country protected by the secrets he knows, have unleashed a wave of repression and paranoia within the Chavista elite, particularly in Diosdado Cabello's circle, who has seen his power position and network of loyalties threatened (Transparencia Venezuela, 2025; Contra Poder News, 2025).
The intelligence analysis indicates that the regime's priority continues to be the protection of drug trafficking businesses, even above citizen security and institutional legality. The disproportionate reaction against innocent civilians and the manipulation of the official narrative reinforce the perception of a state captured by criminal interests. In the future, Tremont's possible collaboration with international agencies like the DEA could trigger new sanctions and deepen the regime's legitimacy crisis, opening the door to scenarios of increased instability and conflict both domestically and regionally (Infobae, 2025; Transparencia Venezuela, 2025).
This case underscores the importance of strengthening civilian oversight mechanisms over the armed forces, promoting transparency and accountability, and supporting international efforts to combat transnational organized crime that threatens security and governance in Venezuela and the hemisphere.
References
Cartel de los Soles. (n.d.). Wikipedia. https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/C%C3%A1rtel_de_los_Soles
Contra Poder News. (2025, June 12). Rumors suggest that General Tremont has not fled, but handles narcotics information that makes him untouchable. https://contrapodernews.com/se-rumora-que-el-general-tremont-no-ha-huido-pero-maneja-informacion-del-narcotrafico-que-lo-hace-intocable/
Global Strategy. (2024, August 24). Introduction to intelligence analysis. https://global-strategy.org/introduccion-al-analisis-de-inteligencia/
Infobae. (2025, March 11). The FBI investigates the leaders of the Cartel of the Suns in the US, the narco gang linked to Chavismo. https://www.infobae.com/venezuela/2025/03/11/el-fbi-investiga-a-los-cabecillas-del-cartel-de-los-soles-en-eeuu-la-banda-narco-vinculada-al-chavisimo/
Instagram. (2024, November 28). Happy birthday, Major General José Luis Tremont Jiménez! https://www.instagram.com/reel/DC6Z2uCRDrB/
LISA Institute. (2022, September 6). The 3 previous steps to drafting a good Intelligence Report. https://www.lisainstitute.com/blogs/blog/3-pasos-previos-redactar-informe-inteligencia
Transparencia Venezuela. (2025, March). Drug trafficking in Venezuela 2024. https://transparenciave.org/economias-ilicitas/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Narcotrafico-en-Venezuela-2024.-Transparencia-Venezuela-en-el-Exilio.pdf
William L. Acosta is a Magna Cum Laude graduate from PWU and the University of Alliance. He is a retired police officer from the New York Police Department, as well as the founder and CEO of Equalizer Private Investigations & Security Services Inc., a licensed agency in New York and Florida, with international reach.
Since 1999, he has led investigations into narcotics cases, homicides, and missing persons, as well as participating in criminal defense both at the state level."Federal. Specialist in international and multijurisdictional cases, has coordinated operations in North America, Europe, and Latin America."
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