Key Point: U.S. officials say Alex Saab was arrested in Venezuela in a joint U.S.–Venezuelan operation and may be extradited to the United States. Saab's lawyer and pro-government journalists deny the arrest, and Venezuelan officials have not confirmed it. Raul Gorrín, head of Globovision, was also reportedly detained. The case revives allegations that Saab siphoned roughly $350 million in a bribery scheme; he previously received U.S. clemency in 2023 as part of a prisoner swap.
Alex Saab Reportedly Arrested in Venezuela in Joint U.S.–Venezuelan Operation
Colombian businessman Alex Saab in Caracas, Venezuela December 21, 2023. REUTERS/Leonardo Fernandez Viloria
WASHINGTON, Feb 4 (Reuters) - U.S. law enforcement officials said Alex Saab, a Colombian-born businessman turned Venezuelan official and close ally of President Nicolás Maduro, was arrested in Venezuela on Wednesday as part of a joint operation between U.S. and Venezuelan authorities. A U.S. official said Saab, 54, is expected to be extradited to the United States in the coming days.
Conflicting Accounts
Saab's lawyer, Luigi Giuliano, told Colombian newspaper El Espectador that reports of an arrest were "fake news." Journalists aligned with Venezuela's government also posted denials on social media. Giuliano told Venezuelan news site TalCual that Saab might appear publicly to clarify events but that he was consulting with government officials about what had happened.
Venezuela's top legislator, Jorge Rodríguez, declined to confirm or deny the reports at an evening news conference, saying the matter was not within his remit and that he had no information about a possible arrest.
Other Arrests Reported
The U.S. official said Raul Gorrín, the head of Venezuela's Globovision television network, was also arrested as part of the operation. Reuters was unable to identify lawyers for Gorrín; Globovision and Venezuela's communications ministry did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Background And Charges
Saab was seized in Cape Verde in 2020 and spent more than three years in U.S. custody on bribery-related charges before receiving clemency in late 2023 as part of a prisoner swap that secured the release of Americans held in Venezuela. U.S. authorities previously accused Saab of siphoning roughly $350 million out of Venezuela through U.S. financial systems in a scheme tied to the country's state-controlled exchange rate. Saab denied the charges and had appealed to dismiss them on diplomatic immunity grounds; the appeal had not been resolved at the time of the clemency.
Saab returned to Venezuela at the end of 2023 amid high-profile ceremonies in which President Maduro praised his loyalty. Maduro later appointed him industry minister; Saab remained in that post until last month when interim leader Delcy Rodríguez removed him from the position.
Official Responses
The U.S. Justice Department and the White House did not respond to requests for comment. Reuters attempted to contact lawyers listed for Saab but did not receive immediate responses.
Note: Several accounts remain conflicting. The report of Saab's arrest comes from U.S. law enforcement sources; Venezuelan officials and Saab's legal team have denied or not confirmed the detention. Follow-up reporting may clarify the situation.
Help us improve.
