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Alex Saab, a 54-year-old Colombian businessman and close ally of captured former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, was reportedly deported after his February arrest in a joint U.S.-Venezuelan operation.
The development comes less than three years after former President Joe Biden pardoned and released Saab in a controversial 2023 prisoner swap.
The high-profile arrest highlights a new level of cooperation between U.S. authorities and Venezuela’s interim President Delcy Rodríguez.
MADURO ALLY ALEX SAAB ARRESTED IN JOINT US-VENEZUELAN OPERATION, OFFICIAL SAYS
Venezuela’s then-President Nicolas Maduro speaks to supporters next to Colombian-born businessman Alex Saab during a rally in Caracas on Jan. 23, 2024. (Gabriela Oraa/AFP)
Following Maduro’s capture in a January U.S. military raid, Rodríguez stripped Saab of his cabinet position and his role as the main conduit for foreign investments, according to a report from The Associated Press.
If returned to U.S. custody, Saab could become a crucial star witness against Maduro, who is currently awaiting trial on drug charges in Manhattan.
Court hearings previously revealed that Saab held secret meetings with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) for years, helping them identify corruption within Maduro’s camp.
VENEZUELA ORDERS NATIONWIDE MANHUNT FOR SUPPORTERS AFTER MADURO’S ARREST BY US FORCES
Businessman Alex Saab is seen at the Miraflores Palace in Caracas, Venezuela, on Dec. 20, 2023. (Pedro Rances Mattey/Anadolu)
Described by U.S. officials as Maduro’s “bag man,” Saab was previously detained in 2020 on bribery charges, with U.S. officials alleging he siphoned $350 million out of Venezuela, according to the AP.
While Biden’s 2023 pardon was focused on a specific 2019 indictment over unbuilt low-income housing, Saab still faces active federal investigations over alleged bribery conspiracies involving Venezuelan food import contracts.
The Venezuelan immigration authority confirmed a “Colombian citizen” was being sent away due to U.S. criminal investigations, but avoided confirmation of his destination to bypass Venezuelan laws prohibiting the extradition of its own nationals, the AP reported.
Colombian businessman Alex Saab is seen in Caracas, Venezuela, on Dec. 21, 2023. (Leonardo Fernandez Viloria/Reuters)
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The U.S. Department of Justice and Saab’s lawyer, Neil Schuster, did not immediately respond to Digital’s requests for comment.
Digital’s Landon Mion and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
