Venezuelan authorities have deported Alex Saab, a close associate of Nicolás Maduro, to face judicial proceedings in the United States. The move comes less than three years after President Joe Biden pardoned Saab as part of a 2023 prisoner exchange. While the pardon resolved one indictment related to low-income housing projects, Saab remains under investigation for alleged involvement in bribery schemes tied to Venezuelan food import contracts. The Associated Press had previously reported on these ongoing probes. Venezuelan officials cited U.S. criminal investigations as grounds for the deportation. It is unclear whether this reflects cooperation with U.S. authorities, though one source suggests a joint operation following a change in Venezuela’s leadership after Maduro’s reported capture by U.S. forces. Saab, a Colombian national, may face further legal proceedings in the U.S., where he has previously provided information to the DEA.

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