For a summary of the most notorious graduates from Venezuela click here Venezuela Name: Army Commander in Chief Efrain Vasquez and General Ramirez Poveda

Dates/courses: Attended the SOA in 1988; 1972

Info: Both Vasquez and Poveda helped to lead a failed coup in Venezuela in April of 2002, despite supposedly receiving training at the SOA that encourages respect for democracy and civilian governments. Otto Reich, then Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs, shared his support for the coup and a new government, and in the same year was appointed as a WHINSEC Board of Visitor member to “oversee” democracy and human rights curriculum, as well as operations at the school. Reich met with these SOA graduates prior to the coup and advised business leader Pedro Carmona, who subsequently seized the presidency.



Name: General Ramon Davila Guillen

Dates/courses: Attended the SOA in 1967 for Irregular Warfare training

Info: General Guillen was indicted in November 1996 in connection with a shipment of one ton of cocaine into Miami in 1990, which he says was authorized by the CIA in an effort to catch drug dealers. In 1993, the CIA called the shipment "a regrettable incident" and dismissed the CIA agent involved. (CAP, 9/21/97) Information researched by Heather Dean.

