Venezuela has announced the extradition to the US of Colombian businessman Alex Saab, one of the closest associates of former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
The official statement from the Venezuelan authorities states that Saab's deportation was carried out on May 16, 2026, emphasizing that he is accused of involvement in various crimes in the US.
Alex Saab, born in Colombia and known for his strong ties to the Venezuelan government, had played a key role in the economic relationship between Venezuela's oil industry and Iran. He was appointed Venezuela's Minister of Industry in December 2024, but was removed from office a few weeks after Maduro was arrested in Caracas during a US operation on January 3.
Saab was previously arrested in 2021 and extradited to the United States, where American authorities accused him of money laundering and creating a corruption scheme with humanitarian aid in favor of the Maduro regime. In December 2023, he was released as part of a prisoner exchange agreement between Washington and Caracas, where he was exchanged for 10 American citizens detained in Venezuela.
