Alex Saab Arrested in Caracas
Colombian businessman Alex Saab, who is often thought to be a key money launderer for the Nicolas Maduro regime, was reportedly detained in Caracas on Wednesday. This arrest was part of a collaborative operation between U.S. and Venezuelan authorities, according to numerous media outlets.
Reports from Colombian sources, including Caracol Radio and El Colombiano, indicated that Saab’s arrest stemmed from a coordinated effort involving the FBI. Reuters also confirmed this, with a U.S. law enforcement official stating that Saab is expected to be extradited to the United States very soon.
The 54-year-old Saab had previously been arrested by U.S. law enforcement in Cape Verde back in 2020. He faced charges related to laundering approximately $350 million from the Venezuelan treasury using the U.S. financial system.
During President Donald Trump’s administration, Saab was recognized for his involvement in the Venezuelan regime’s corrupt CLAP food program. However, in December 2023, former President Joe Biden released him as part of a prisoner exchange with President Maduro. The Biden administration argued that this move would help mitigate the significant influx of Venezuelan migrants into the U.S. by addressing underlying migration issues.
Upon Saab’s return to Caracas, President Maduro greeted him as a hero and later appointed him as Minister of Industry. Saab held this role until mid-January when he was removed by Venezuela’s acting president, Delcy Rodríguez.
As of now, there hasn’t been any official confirmation or denial regarding Saab’s arrest from members of Venezuela’s socialist regime. His lawyer, Luigi Giuliano, told a Colombian news outlet that the arrest reports were fabricated and that Saab remains “calm in Caracas.”
Jorge Rodriguez, president of the Socialist Party-controlled National Assembly, also avoided confirming Saab’s situation during a press conference, asserting that he lacked relevant information on the matter.
In addition to Saab, several reports indicated that Venezuelan businessman Raul Gorin was also taken into custody during the same operation.
Gorin, a fugitive with alleged close ties to Maduro, was indicted in a federal Florida court in 2024 for his involvement in a $1.2 billion money laundering operation. He acquired a significant stake in Globovision, Venezuela’s only private news channel, which had previously criticized the government but has since shifted to a more neutral stance.
Interestingly, Gorin was charged in 2019 for exploiting corruption and Venezuela’s stringent foreign exchange regulations to gain over $2.4 billion in illicit proceeds.
