US Official Announces Arrest of Alex Saab, Maduro's Associate
A U.S. law enforcement official has announced the arrest of Alex Saab, a Venezuelan official and former close associate of President Nicolás Maduro, during a joint operation involving U.S. and Venezuelan authorities. This event has been characterized as a highly sensitive political and security matter.
According to the U.S. official, Saab, who is 54 years old, is expected to be extradited to the United States in the coming days, pending confirmation of his arrest. This development could signify a new chapter in the legal and political conflict between Washington and key figures of the former Venezuelan regime.
* Legal Denial and Media Skepticism
In response, Luigi Giuliano, Saab's attorney, has denied the reports, calling the rumors of his client's arrest "false" in statements quoted by the Colombian newspaper El Espectador. Additionally, pro-government journalists in Venezuela have expressed doubts about the accuracy of the news, asserting on social media that Saab had not been arrested.
Giuliano did not respond to emails sent to the addresses listed on his law firm's website, while another attorney who represented Saab in a U.S. court in December 2023 declined to comment on the matter.
* From Cape Verde to Washington... Then a Pardon
Born in Colombia, Alex Saab is a key figure in the economic and political network surrounding Maduro during his presidency. He was arrested in Cape Verde in 2020 before being extradited to the United States, where he spent over three years in prison for bribery and corruption.
In a notable turn of events, Saab later received a U.S. pardon in exchange for the release of U.S. citizens detained in Venezuela, and his name has resurfaced in connection with recent developments.
* After Maduro... Unprecedented Cooperation
This development comes just a month after Nicolás Maduro himself was arrested in Caracas by U.S. forces, an operation that has shaken the Venezuelan political landscape. Should Saab's arrest and extradition be confirmed, it would reflect an unprecedented level of cooperation between U.S. and Venezuelan law enforcement under the transitional government of Delcy Rodríguez, Maduro's former vice president and current acting president.
Observers view this step, if proven true, as a radical shift in the relationship between Washington and Caracas, potentially opening the door for new prosecutions of prominent figures from the former regime.
