Venezuela: Alex Saab Back in U.S. Custody

Alex Saab, a Colombian of Lebanese origin and key figure in Venezuelan government under Nicolás Maduro, was expelled to the United States five months after the ousted president's capture by the U.S. military, for his involvement "in various crimes in the United States of America, as is public, notorious and widely reported by the media," according to a statement from Venezuelan immigration authorities.

Alex Naim Saab Moran had grown close to the Venezuelan government during the final years of Hugo Chávez's administration (1999-2013) and had come to manage a vast import network for Nicolás Maduro's government. He was considered a key intermediary for the regime as the country struggled to adapt to international sanctions.

He was notably responsible for importing products for the social program providing subsidized food sales, known as Clap, which was marred by corruption accusations.

Saab was arrested during a stopover in Cape Verde in 2020 and extradited to the United States in 2021, which accused him of diverting food aid and money laundering on behalf of Maduro.

He was exchanged in December 2023 for ten Americans imprisoned in Venezuela. A release that Maduro, captured on January 3 by the U.S. military, had then called a "triumph."

Saab was welcomed with great fanfare upon his return and was subsequently appointed minister.

Delcy Rodríguez, former vice president under Nicolás Maduro, took the reins of power after his capture and sidelined Saab from the government, also removing his Italian wife Camila Fabri from her positions.

Under pressure from Washington, she implemented numerous changes, adopting an amnesty law to release political prisoners and reforming the energy sector to open it to private investment.