Venezuela's migration agency, SAIME, announced on Saturday that Colombian-Venezuelan businessman Alex Saab has been deported to the United States. A close ally of Nicolas Maduro, Saab was deported to face judicial proceedings in the U.S. following his alleged involvement in several crimes.
Saab was arrested in Caracas in February during a joint operation between U.S. and Venezuelan authorities. This move suggests a new level of collaboration between U.S. and Venezuelan law enforcement. The extradition of Saab, who is tied to a huge graft scheme, is part of a purge of powerful figures who helped the deposed president, Nicolas Maduro, stay in power.
The Colombian-born businessman was previously detained in Cape Verde in 2020 and held in the U.S. on bribery charges. He was granted clemency in 2023 by President Joe Biden as part of a prisoner swap in exchange for the release of Americans detained in Venezuela.