MIAMI (Reuter) A jury was selected Monday in the trial of a former
Venezuelan official who U.S. prosecutors say helped smuggle drugs into the
United States while his boss, a general also now wanted on U.S. drugs
charges, allegedly worked for the CIA.

Opening arguments were scheduled to begin Tuesday in the trial of Adolfo
Romero Gomez, who faces 10 years to life in prison and a $4 million fine if
convicted of drug conspiracy charges.

But the centerpiece of the indictment charging Romero was the allegation that
his boss, Gen. Ramon Guillen Davila, who later claimed to be a CIA operative,
smuggled up to 22 tons of cocaine into the United States while he was chief
of Venezuela's National Guard antidrug bureau between 1987 and 1991.

Venezuela's government declined to extradite Guillen, who lives in Caracas.
Romero was extradited to the United States after his arrest in Colombia.

The case has been complicated by Guillen's claimed links to the CIA. The
former head of Venezuela's National Guard has acknowledged that he helped
ship 2.3 tons of cocaine through Venezuela, but he said it was part of an
operation sanctioned by the CIA that targeted Colombian drug cartel leaders.

The CIA, as a matter of policy, does not comment on operatives it may or may
not have overseas.

Romero was an aide and informant for Guillen. His attorney, William Norris,
has said that Romero was only a very lowlevel informant working for Guillen.

U.S. District Judge Shelby Highsmith closed part of a pretrial hearings in
the case to the public and press while attorneys discussed classified
information. And he will decide as the case proceeds what the jury and public
will be able to hear about CIA knowledge of drug shipments and allegations
that Venezuelan officials were involved in drug smuggling.