Alex Saab, a top Maduro ally, was arrested in Caracas in a U.S.-Venezuela operation and may be extradited to the U.S.

Alex Saab, a close ally of former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and former industry minister, was reportedly arrested in Caracas in a joint U.S.-Venezuelan operation, according to a U.S. law enforcement official. The arrest, which occurred amid shifting leadership under interim President Delcy Rodríguez, follows Saab’s 2023 release from U.S. custody after a prisoner swap that freed Americans held in Venezuela. He had previously been detained in Cape Verde in 2020 on bribery and money laundering charges tied to Venezuela’s CLAP food program. Saab, whose charges were dismissed in 2024, is expected to be extradited to the U.S. The operation also reportedly involved the arrest of Globovision owner Raúl Gorrín, though Venezuelan officials and Saab’s lawyer denied the reports. The U.S. and Venezuela’s cooperation marks a significant development in their strained relationship.