Venezuela Deports Former Maduro Ally Alex Saab to United States

Caracas: Venezuela's government announced on Saturday that it had deported Alex Saab, a former Industry Minister and close ally of former President Nicolas Maduro, to the United States. According to Deutsche Welle, the Venezuelan immigration administration stated that the deportation was carried out due to Saab's involvement in various crimes in the United States. Saab managed a vast import network for Maduro's administration and accumulated wealth through government contracts. He was accused of acting as a frontman and money launderer for Maduro, who in return granted him Venezuelan citizenship and a diplomatic passport. Saab, originally from Colombia, was first apprehended in Cape Verde in 2020 on allegations of money laundering and corruption. He was extradited to the United States the following year, facing charges of operating a network that exploited Venezuela's subsidized food aid program, CLAP. Alongside his business partner Alvaro Pulido, Saab was accused of laundering $350 million out of the coun try. Although a US judge later dismissed most charges, Saab still faced a count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, which carried a potential 20-year prison sentence. In December 2023, Saab was released from US custody as part of a prisoner exchange deal with Venezuela, and Maduro appointed him to his Cabinet the following year. However, Saab fell out of favor with the new administration that came to power after Maduro's ouster and capture by the US military in January. Interim President Rodriguez, who previously served as Maduro's vice president, dismissed Saab from the Cabinet and removed him from all his positions. Saab's wife, Camilla Fabri, who held the role of deputy minister for international communication, was also dismissed in February. Saab's extradition could exacerbate tensions within Rodríguez's fragile coalition in Caracas, potentially deepening existing divisions within the government.