Pubdate: Mon, 15 Sep 1997 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.