Alex Saab Faces Charges Of Money Laundering, Bribery Corruption
October 18, 2021—After months in prison in Cape Verde, Alex Saab finally crossed the Atlantic on Saturday under extradition orders by the United States.
Today, he appeared in federal court in Miami, Florida, where he faces charges of violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. Specifically, the U.S. Justice Department accuses Saab, a Columbian citizen, of laundering proceeds of an illegal bribery scheme from Venezuela bank accounts to and through U.S. bank accounts.
No Ordinary Case
It is not an ordinary corruption case.
That is because he is a close affiliate of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, an authoritarian leader who controls much of the weak economy.
The two are so close, in fact, that the Maduro government recently named Saab as a diplomatic envoy. The government tried to secure a seat for him in talks taking place with opposition parties in Mexico City. That gave Saab’s lawyers a chance to appeal the U.S. request for extradition under the guise that he was a diplomat. But ultimately, that appeal failed, making way for the extradition and trial.
Talks Off
Nevertheless, the extradition of Saab to the United States prompted the Maduro regime to abandon talks with opposition leaders. The talks are viewed as a critical path to ensuring free and fair elections in November. They could also help the country come out of a multi-year political and economic crisis.
Venezuela’s Position: ‘Kidnapping’
The official document published by the Venezuelan government likens the extradition to an international kidnapping. The government released an official statement on Sunday declaring the talks off in protest of the “inhumane act of aggression by the United States.” Furthermore, Jorge Rodríguez, leader of the government delegation for the talks, suggested the U.S. government and Ivan Duque, president of Colombia, are responsible for Saab’s health.
Meanwhile, the opposition party leaders can only hope the government reconsiders and sits back at the table. In the official declaration published in social media, the Venezuela Unitary Platform appealed to the urgency of the talks for the population. They reminded the government of the long economic, social and political crisis the country has been facing for a while now. They also tell the government to not make one person more important than the country and the need for an agreement to get Covid vaccines inside the country.
Saab’s Day In Court
As for Saab, he appeared before via video before U.S. Magistrate Judge John J. O’Sullivan. The judge set the arraignment date for November 1.
According to a Justice Department notice released today, Saab and his associate Alvaro Pulido Vargas, also a Columbian citizen, “transferred approximately $350 million out of Venezuela, through the United States, to overseas accounts they owned or controlled.” Meanwhile, at least one American involved in a related scheme is already serving time. Bruce Bagley, a former University of Miami professor, was arrested and tried for laundering funds for the Venezuelan government and is serving up to 20 years in prison.
While the trial for Saab’s charges will take a while, most analysts predict the U.S. attorneys will offer him some kind of deal exchanging information for a better sentence or even immunity. But not knowing what he knows, it’s really hard to predict how his trial will go.
Whatever Saab reveals, or doesn’t, that still leaves the government with problems to resolve. By leaving the negotiations, they also abandon the short-term possibilities of IMF funds, and the chance to get back some of its international assets now in control of the opposition.
Copyright secured by Digiprove © 2021 Patti Mohr