Venezuelan official Alex Saab, a Maduro ally, deported to US
Venezuelan official Alex Saab, an ally of former President Nicolas Maduro, has been deported to the United States, according to Venezuela's migration agency SAIME. Saab was arrested in Caracas in February during a joint operation involving U.S. and Venezuelan authorities, signaling increased cooperation between the two nations' law enforcement agencies. Previously detained in 2020 and granted clemency in 2023, Saab may now assist U.S. prosecutors in building a case against Maduro.
- ▪Alex Saab, a Colombian-Venezuelan businessman and ally of Nicolas Maduro, was deported to the United States.
- ▪Saab was arrested in Caracas in February during a joint operation by U.S. and Venezuelan authorities.
- ▪Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores were taken to New York in January to face criminal charges, including conspiracy to commit narcoterrorism.
- ▪Saab was previously detained in Cape Verde in 2020 and granted clemency in 2023 in exchange for the release of Americans held in Venezuela.
- ▪Saab could provide information to strengthen the U.S. criminal case against Maduro, according to sources familiar with the matter.
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Venezuelan official Alex Saab, a Maduro ally, deported to USSign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inboxPublished May 17, 2026, 07:18 AMUpdated May 17, 2026, 07:18 AMMay 16 - Venezuelan official Alex Saab, a Colombian-Venezuelan businessman and ally of former President Nicolas Maduro, was deported to the United States, Venezuela's migration agency, SAIME, said on Saturday.Saab was arrested in Caracas in February during a joint operation by U.S. and Venezuelan authorities, according to a U.S. law enforcement official at the time.Saab's arrest occurred a month after Maduro's own capture by U.S. special forces in Caracas. The arrest and deportation of Saab suggested a new level of collaboration between U.S.
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