Ex-Guatemalan Congressman Sentenced to 18 Years in U.S. Prison for Drug Trafficking

A former Guatemalan congressman has been sentenced to 18 years in federal prison for participating in a drug trafficking scheme that moved more than 400 kilograms of cocaine from Guatemala into the United States, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Abe McGlothin of the Eastern District of Texas.

According to court documents,Jose Armando Ubico Aguilar, 45, "brokered and facilitated cocaine shipments into the United States" using his "partnerships with known drug traffickers and other corrupt officials."

"I am grateful to our law enforcement partners who worked tirelessly to ensure that Ubico Aguilar will no longer be allowed to hide behind his position of power," said McGlothin via a written statement.

Ubico Aguilar served as an elected member of Congress from 2016 to 2024. He was also appointed as President of Guatemala's National Defense Committee from 2018 to 2023. In 2022, the once "distinguished" politician was awarded the Monja Blanca medal for his support and service to the military.

Ubico Aguilar was indicted by a federal grand jury in the Eastern District of Texas with federal drug trafficking violations. The former congressman arrived in the United States and pleaded guilty in May 2024. He admitted his role in the conspiracy, revealing his actions resulted in the trafficking of at least 450 kilograms of cocaine through Guatemala for distribution in the United States.

Guatemala has long faced significant challenges with drug trafficking and corruption. According to Insight Crime, both active and former members of the military are a key part of state-embedded illicit networks, collectively named the Illegal Clandestine Security Apparatuses (Cuerpos Ilegales y Aparatos Clandestinos de Seguridad – CIACS).

CIACS, per Insight Crime, have diversified over time as these networks have moved into politics. Alleged CIACS members include former Guatemalan president and ex-General Otto Pérez Molina, who was sentenced to eight years in prison in 2023 after pleading guilty to money laundering, fraud, and corruption.

In 2020, Guatemala's Economics Minister Acisclo Valladares Urruela was similarly charged with conspiring to commit money laundering, including handling proceeds from drug trafficking. Urruela was sentenced to one year in a U.S. federal prison.