The United States is reportedly negotiating with the Venezuelan government over the possible extradition of Colombian businessman Alex Saab, a key figure in the economic network of Chavismo and considered by Washington to be an alleged front man for former president Nicolas Maduro.
The information was revealed last weekend by the U.S. newspaper The Miami Herald, which cited sources close to the diplomatic talks between the two countries.
According to those sources, Saab’s potential handover would be part of a broader set of political and judicial agreements currently being discussed between Washington and Caracas amid the new political phase Venezuela is experiencing.
The businessman, who for years was one of the most influential operators within the economic system created during Maduro’s government, could once again face charges in U.S. courts if the negotiations ultimately succeed.
US reportedly negotiating with Venezuela over Alex Saab’s extradition
According to information published by The Miami Herald, U.S. officials and representatives of Venezuela’s new government have held talks in recent weeks on various bilateral issues, including Saab’s judicial future. Sources cited by the newspaper said the businessman “will likely be extradited soon” if negotiations continue to move forward.
Although there has been no official announcement so far from either government, the possibility that Saab could once again be sent to the United States has begun to gain traction in diplomatic and political circles. For Washington, the businessman remains a key figure in investigations into alleged corruption and money-laundering networks linked to the former Venezuelan regime.
Saab, born in Barranquilla and of Lebanese origin, became over the past decade one of the most influential businessmen linked to Chavismo. U.S. authorities accuse him of organizing complex financial schemes to channel funds derived from contracts with the Venezuelan state, especially those related to subsidized food import programs.
For years, U.S. prosecutors said that the businessman acted as a financial intermediary and trusted operator for Maduro, facilitating the movement of millions of dollars through companies registered in different countries. Caracas, for its part, repeatedly defended that Saab was a Venezuelan diplomat and that his activities were intended to help the country circumvent international sanctions.
Saab’s role after Maduro’s downfall
Talks over the businessman’s extradition are taking place amid a profound political transformation in Venezuela. The country is undergoing a transition process following the capture of former president Nicolas Maduro during a U.S. operation carried out in early 2026, an event that radically altered the balance of power within Chavismo.
In that context, the interim government led by Delcy Rodriguez has initiated contacts with Washington to redefine bilateral relations after years of confrontation. Among the issues under discussion are judicial cooperation, the partial lifting of sanctions, and the situation of several figures from the former political and economic apparatus of Chavismo.
Saab’s figure occupies a central place in that process. For years, he was considered one of the men closest to power in Caracas, and his name repeatedly appeared in international investigations into alleged corruption schemes linked to public contracts.
However, his position within the Venezuelan government changed abruptly earlier this year, when he was dismissed as minister of Industry by decision of Delcy Rodriguez. Since then, the businessman has maintained a much lower public profile, fueling speculation about his possible role in the negotiations with the United States.
For some analysts, his potential extradition could be interpreted as a gesture of cooperation by the new Venezuelan leadership on matters of justice and the fight against corruption. At the same time, it would represent an important step for Washington in its attempts to clarify the financial networks that operated during Maduro’s government.
The judicial implications of the case
For the U.S. justice system, Saab’s testimony could have significant consequences in ongoing investigations against key figures of the former Venezuelan regime. Prosecutors believe the businessman possesses privileged information about the financial mechanisms that allowed the Chavista government to move resources abroad despite international sanctions.
If the extradition ultimately takes place, it would be the second time Saab appears before U.S. courts. The businessman was arrested in 2020 in Cape Verde when his plane made a stopover in the African country and was later extradited to the United States in 2021 to face money-laundering charges related to Venezuelan government contracts.
That judicial process was unexpectedly interrupted in December 2023, when then-President Joe Biden included Saab in a prisoner exchange agreement with Maduro’s government. Under that deal, Caracas released several U.S. citizens who had been detained in Venezuela.
The decision drew strong criticism in sectors of the U.S. Congress, where some lawmakers argued that the businessman’s release weakened efforts to investigate the alleged corruption schemes associated with Chavismo.
Now, with a completely different political scenario in Venezuela and with Maduro out of power, Saab’s case has once again moved to the center of the bilateral agenda. His possible extradition could open a new phase in judicial investigations into the inner workings of the former regime and the financial networks that sustained it for years.