They claim that they arrested Alex Saab, Nicolás Maduro’s front man
United States intelligence sources confirmed to international media that the former Chavista minister Alex Saab was detained in Venezuelan territory by regime security forces.
The information was initially disseminated by Caracol Radio, which obtained validation from North American officials about the procedure. against whom he is identified as the main financial operator and front man of Nicolás Maduro.
Regarding the execution of the measure, it was detailed that The Venezuelan intelligence body was in charge of carrying out the arrest and keeps it in his power.
The source consulted by the Colombian media assured that the capture was carried out “for possible extradition to the United States.”
The arrest of the Barranquilla businessman occurs a few days after his departure from the executive cabinet, following the military operation that deposed Nicolás Maduro on January 3. Saab had recently left his position at the Ministry of Industries to be replaced by Luis Villegas.
In December 2013, the US released Saab, in exchange for imprisoned Americans.
Saab had been arrested on a US warrant for money laundering in 2020. In exchange, Maduro will release some, if not all, of the at least 10 US citizens who remain imprisoned in Venezuela.
Saab is a Colombian businessman, accused of being a front man for Nicolás Maduro.
On October 18, 2021, before a Miami court, Saab faced eight accusations of laundering several hundred million dollars, allegedly coming from corrupt deals with Caracas.
Saab is the son of a Lebanese immigrant who settled in the city of BarranquillaColombia, where he opened several commercial premises and worked successfully in the textile area.
Alex, the second of four brothers, was selling business promotion keychains and uniforms when he met Álvaro Pulido – another Colombian businessman who is related to former Colombian senator Piedad Cordova – who had invited him to be his partner in several businesses in Venezuela.
In 2016, Maduro created the Local Supply and Production Committees (CLAP), a subsidized food distribution plan at a time of shortages of more than two-thirds of basic products.
Alex Saab became one of the suppliers of this plan, achieving “important commercial agreements”, as stated in a YouTube series created by Saab himself.
In 2018, according to this version, assumes “as a public official” the “mission” to acquire in Russia and Iran “food, medicine, spare parts for refineries and different companies.”
The businessman is related to several companies, including Group Grand Limited (GGL), accused of supplying overpriced food and supplies to the Maduro government.
In 2020, Saab, 51, was forced off a private jet during a fuel stop in Cape Verde, en route to Iran, where he was headed to negotiate oil deals on behalf of the Maduro government. He is charged with conspiracy to launder money in connection with a bribery scheme that allegedly diverted $350 million from state contracts to build affordable housing on behalf of the Venezuelan government.
