LatinNews Daily - 18 May 2026

*Venezuela’s migration service (Saime) has announced that Alex Saab, who allegedly led sanctions evasion efforts under former president Nicolás Maduro (2013-2026), was deported to the US on 16 May. In a brief statement, Saime noted that Saab, who is a Colombian citizen, is accused of “various crimes” in the US. There had previously been reports that Saab had been arrested on 4 February in Caracas, in a sign of how Maduro’s successor, President Delcy Rodríguez, is aligning with US demands. Saab was fired from his role as industry and production minister (2024-2026) shortly after Rodríguez took office following Maduro’s 3 January capture by US military forces. The US government has not yet commented on Saab’s extradition, and the charges against him have not been set out in full. However, his deportation is likely related to the money laundering charges he previously faced in the US before he was released as part of a prisoner exchange with Venezuela in December 2023. Prior to that release he had been held in the US since 2021 following his extradition from Cape Verde, where he was arrested in June 2020 at the request of the US during a refuelling stop en route to Iran.

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