Venezuela Deports Maduro Ally Alex Saab to the United States

Venezuela’s immigration agency confirmed on Sunday that it had sent Alex Saab, the country’s former industry minister and a longtime ally of detained President Nicolas Maduro, to the United States on Saturday. The deportation order, issued on May 16, 2026, targeted the Colombian-born businessman.

“Venezuela announces the deportation of Colombian citizen Alex Naim Saab Moran,” the immigration authority stated in a release. The agency added that the removal was prompted by Saab’s alleged involvement in “various crimes in America,” a matter it described as “widely known and documented in the media.”

Saab’s Rise and Role in Venezuela

Saab’s ties to the Venezuelan government deepened during the final years of Hugo Chavez’s presidency, which ran from 1999 to 2013. He later managed a sprawling import network on behalf of Maduro’s administration and was regarded as a key intermediary helping the government navigate international sanctions. According to AFP, Saab was specifically responsible for importing goods for a subsidized food program that faced corruption allegations.

Saab was first arrested in Cape Verde in 2020 on money laundering and corruption charges. He was extradited to the United States the following year but was released in 2023 as part of a prisoner swap with Venezuela.

From Government Post to Deportation

Maduro appointed Saab to his cabinet the year after his release. However, shortly after U.S. authorities arrested Maduro in Caracas this past January, acting President Delcy Rodriguez removed Saab from all his official positions.

Venezuela’s constitution prohibits the extradition of its own citizens. But immigration authorities classified Saab as a Colombian national, allowing them to process his deportation to the United States, where he remains wanted.

Delcy Rodriguez has also dismissed Saab’s wife from her role in the Venezuelan government.