Venezuela says it deported a close ally of Maduro to face judicial proceedings in US
Summary
Venezuela's government said it sent Alex Saab, a close ally of President Nicolás Maduro, to the United States to face legal charges. Saab was previously pardoned by President Joe Biden but now may have to testify against Maduro, who is accused of drug crimes in the U.S.Key Facts
- Alex Saab is a Colombian-born businessman linked closely to Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.
- The Venezuelan immigration authority said Saab was deported due to ongoing criminal investigations in the U.S.
- Saab was pardoned by President Joe Biden as part of a prisoner exchange less than three years ago.
- U.S. officials have called Saab Maduro’s “bag man,” accusing him of bribery related to Venezuelan government food contracts.
- Maduro and Venezuela’s acting president previously claimed Saab was a diplomat detained unfairly on a refueling stop.
- Saab’s role involved the CLAP program, which supplies food staples to poor Venezuelans during economic hardship.
- Saab had fallen out of favor with Maduro’s government and was removed from official roles earlier this year.
- Venezuelan law forbids extraditing its own citizens, but Saab was described officially only as a Colombian citizen.
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