WASHINGTON/ CARACAS: Venezuelan official Alex Saab was reportedly arrested in Venezuela on Wednesday in a joint operation involving U.S. and Venezuelan authorities, according to multiple news reports.
Saab, a Colombian‑Venezuelan businessman and close ally of former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, was taken into custody early Wednesday morning in Caracas. Intelligence sources claim the operation involved Venezuela’s National Bolivarian Intelligence Service (SEBIN) and the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
The businessman was first detained in Cape Verde in 2020 and later held in the United States for more than three years on bribery and money‑laundering charges linked to Venezuelan state contracts. In 2023, he was granted clemency in exchange for the release of Americans held in Venezuela, and then returned to Caracas as a figure celebrated by the Venezuelan government.
Reports say Saab remains in custody under SEBIN and could be extradited to the United States in the coming days. Venezuelan authorities have not officially confirmed the arrest. Saab’s lawyer has denied the reports, calling them “fake news,” and pro‑government media echoed the denial.
In the same operation, Raúl Gorrín Belisario, a Venezuelan businessman and owner of the Globovisión TV network, was also reportedly detained. Gorrín has been sanctioned by U.S. authorities for alleged bribery and corruption linked to Venezuela’s leadership.
Saab’s arrest reflects a reported increase in cooperation between the United States and Venezuela’s interim government under acting President Delcy Rodríguez. Until recently, Saab had served in Maduro’s cabinet as industry minister before being removed from the post.
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The news comes as a dramatic development in ongoing legal and political disputes involving Venezuela, U.S. authorities, and efforts to address corruption and criminal allegations involving senior officials. If extradited, Saab could face renewed legal proceedings in U.S. courts.
