Venezuela announces it has deported Alex Saab, a Colombian businessman and longtime ally of ousted President Nicolás Maduro, to the United States to face criminal proceedings. Multiple outlets report that Saab is tied to allegations involving bribery and corruption related to Venezuelan government contracts. Several sources state he is charged in the U.S., with The Independent reporting he is charged in Miami for allegedly bribing officials for government procurement.
Reports also describe the transfer as occurring after prior U.S. action. Breitbart says Saab was freed by former U.S. President Joe Biden roughly two and a half years earlier, and that Venezuela’s current move follows that release. Other outlets characterize the deportation as part of a broader shift in Venezuela’s politics since Maduro’s ouster, with NDTV and others noting Saab reportedly fell out of favor with interim leadership.
Overall, sources agree on Saab’s identity as a Maduro ally, the Venezuelan government’s claim that he is being sent for U.S. legal proceedings, and that U.S. authorities now have custody as he faces alleged corruption-related charges.
