A Venezuelan pilot accused of drug trafficking in the United States, who has been held for six years in the Cayman Islands without charges, is pleading with the governor and the courts for his freedom due to alleged health deterioration.
This individual is Juan Carlos González Infante, who is facing accusations in a Miami court for supposedly being involved in a conspiracy to smuggle 100 kilograms of cocaine to South Florida in March 2006. He asserts that he is completely unaware of these allegations.
González Infante was detained in the Cayman Islands on June 4, 2019, after arriving in the country on May 30 of that year while piloting a private plane. He was arrested under suspicion of involvement in gold smuggling and money laundering.
In the airplane, Cayman police uncovered a shipment of gold valued at USD 4 million, which was declared. However, they remained silent about the USD 135,000 found in four packages. In March 2020, he was acquitted, but authorities continue to maintain that he is being sought for extradition by U.S. justice.
Delayed Justice
Despite being absolved of money laundering charges when arrested for piloting a plane carrying gold and cash, González Infante must remain incarcerated pending the lengthy extradition process he is facing.
The U.S. judicial system requested his extradition in November 2016, accusing him of conspiracy to import over 100 kilograms of cocaine and money laundering, in connection with activities allegedly occurring between 2006 and 2007. González Infante and his family claim they have never been informed of the supposed charges against him.
A Cayman court validated the U.S. request in November 2020, but the matter remains unresolved in 2025, as legal proceedings in the Cayman Islands are extremely slow. Consequently, Juan Carlos González Infante has sent a communication to Governor Jane Owen and the Chief Justice, Margaret Ramsay-Hale, to highlight the “unacceptable and unjustifiable delay.”
Appeal Against Extradition to U.S.
González Infante has appealed his extradition and filed a habeas corpus petition protesting his detention, but although it was expected that he would receive a response within three months, his request remains unanswered after being considered in November 2024.
His family in Venezuela expresses concern over Juan Carlos González Infante’s health deterioration, which they allege, along with a lack of legal assistance. His son, Carlos González, asserts that his father suffers from dementia, suggesting he would not be fit to stand trial in the United States.
They claim that his mental health condition has been confirmed by experts from the U.S., Cayman, and the UK, and that he suffers from anxiety, depression, stress, and Alzheimer’s.
Carlos González states, “They have a wrong idea of him in Cayman,” he said. “He is not who they claim he is. My father has worked hard all his life to support the family. I understand there are some proceedings in the U.S., but they have mistaken the man.”
González Infante’s Arguments
Juan Carlos González Infante repeatedly asserts his innocence, claiming he has not been informed of the alleged accusations against him by the U.S. justice system. In fact, he states that he learned about these allegations only upon arriving in the Cayman Islands, and to this day, no evidence substantiating the supposed charges has been provided.
González Infante and his family believe it is a case of mistaken identity, as the date of birth and other details stated in the accusation are incorrect.
He also argues that the U.S. request for extradition was made after the legal deadline had passed, based on an erroneous treaty.
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