Venezuela interrupted negotiations with the opposition due to the extradition of Maduro’s associate to the United States | News from Germany on world events | DW

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The Venezuelan government has suspended dialogue with the opposition due to the extradition of a confidant of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro by the authorities of Cape Verde. “In protest against the aggression, we will not participate in the round of negotiations scheduled for tomorrow,” said the head of the official Caracas delegation, Jorge Rodriguez, on Saturday evening, October 16. Shortly before that, it became known that Maduro’s associate, Colombian businessman Alex Saab, had been extradited to the United States.

Saab was detained in June 2020 when his private jet bound for Iran landed in Cape Verde for refueling. According to the Venezuelan government, Saab was on a humanitarian mission. Alex Saab reportedly sold several million US dollars worth of food for the controversial state-run Clap program to the Venezuelan government.

Money laundering for Maduro

The United States and Colombia were looking for Saab on charges of money laundering and other crimes – he allegedly helped the Maduro family and his associates to amass hundreds of millions of dollars in food aid to the hungry in Venezuela and take these funds abroad.

According to the American investigation, Saab has extensive information about the illegal transactions of the Maduro family and high-ranking officials of Venezuela. Alex Saab holds citizenship of Colombia and Venezuela, as well as a Venezuelan diplomatic passport.

Presumably in retaliation for the extradition of Saab to the United States, Venezuela’s security forces reportedly detained six American oil managers.

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