Alex Saab lost the support of the incoming government that came into power following Maduro’s removal and arrest by US authorities in January.
The Venezuelan administration announced on Saturday that it had sent former Industry Minister Alex Saab to the United States.
Saab is a strong supporter of former President Nicolas Maduro.
“The deportation policy was implemented taking into account that the aforementioned Colombian national is implicated in the commission of multiple offenses within the United States, as it is publicly known and documented,” stated the Venezuelan immigration authority in a press release.
The Venezuelan constitution prohibits the extradition of its citizens.
In this instance, the nation’s immigration officials concluded that Saab was a citizen of Colombia and issued an order for his “deportation” to the United States.
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What is Saab being charged with?
A Saab, born in Colombia, operated an extensive import network for Maduro’s government and accumulated wealth via state contracts.
He has been charged with serving as a spokesperson and financial intermediary for Maduro and his administration. In return, Maduro provided him with Venezuelan nationality and a diplomatic passport.
Saab was initially detained in Cape Verde in 2020 on charges related to money laundering and corruption. He was subsequently sent to the United States the following year.
A 54-year-old man and his business associate, Alvaro Pulido, were accused of operating a scheme that took advantage of Venezuela’s subsidized food assistance program, called CLAP.
The individuals were eventually charged with money laundering amounting to $350 million (€301 million) from Venezuela.
A U.S. judge subsequently dropped most of the charges against Saab. However, he was still confronted with a single count of conspiracy to engage in money laundering, which could result in a 20-year prison sentence.
However, in December 2023, Saab was freed from US detention.as part of a prisoner swap agreement with Venezuela.
Maduro named Saab to his Cabinet the subsequent year.
Slipping out of favor with the new government
However, Saab lost support from the new administration that came into power following Maduro’s removal and arrest by US forces in January.
Interim President Rodriguez, former vice president of Maduro,has removed Saab from the Cabinet and taken away all his positions.
His wife Camilla Fabri, who held the position of deputy minister for international communication, was also removed in February.
The extradition of Saab to the US may increase tensions within Rodríguez’s weak governing coalition in Caracas.
Edited by: Sean Sinico
Author: Srinivas Mazumdaru (with AP, AFP, Reuters)
