Overview
- Colombian outlets and a U.S. official report Saab was taken into custody in Caracas by SEBIN in the early hours of Wednesday, with the FBI involved in the operation.
- Saab’s lawyer, Luigi Giuliano, publicly denied the detention as “fake news,” and Venezuela’s top lawmaker Jorge Rodríguez said he had no information confirming an arrest.
- U.S. authorities have not issued formal statements, and Venezuelan ministries have not confirmed the reports, leaving key details unverified.
- Businessman Raúl Gorrín, owner of Globovisión and previously sanctioned by the U.S., was also reported detained in the same sweep, according to Caracol Radio.
- Saab was previously extradited to the U.S., held on money-laundering allegations tied to about $350 million, then released under a 2023 clemency deal, had charges dismissed in 2024, and later served in Maduro’s cabinet before his removal last month by interim leader Delcy Rodríguez.