Former Undersecretary for Terrorist Financing of the United States Department of the Treasury Marshall S. Billingslea warned this Friday that the government of Joe Biden could take measures to favor Alex Saab.
“Credible rumors are circulating that the White House wants to move Alex Saab to Venezuela,” wrote the former official on Twitter.
Billingslea indicated that Washington could recognize Saab’s alleged diplomatic role and thereby “sabotage the court case against him.”
“It took years to build the sanctions package and indictment, and secure arrest and extradition. Saab was one of Maduro’s main baggers. What is worse, he made his money profiting from the famine of the Venezuelan people, looting the CLAP program. Under no circumstances should this criminal be released », he pointed out on the social network.
2/2) Saab was one of Maduro’s top bagmen. What’s worse, he made his money by profiting from starvation of the Venezuelan people, looting from the CLAP program.
Under NO circumstances should this criminal be released. Details ????@jguaido @CarlosPaparonihttps://t.co/K6uHsQHBET
— Marshall S. Billingslea (@M_S_Billingslea) July 15, 2022
Delay due to documents
The case for money laundering faced by the Colombian-Venezuelan businessman Alex Saab, considered a figurehead of Nicolás Maduroit is delayed due to the delay of documents officials from federal agencies in the United States and amid mistrust of the defense not having access to some of them about diplomatic immunity.
In a hearing held this Friday in Miami, with the presence of Saab, the dates of the process were postponed again. The next status hearing was scheduled by Judge Robert N. Scola for August 26.
Wearing a beige uniform, handcuffed and with his hair tied back, Saab listened to the considerations of the prosecution and defense through an interpreter.
Both parties agreed to the new schedule due to the number of documents involved, not only from US federal agencies, but from the countries in question: Colombia, Venezuela and Cape Verde, the latter country from where he was extradited in October 2021.
The Prosecutor’s Office added that the delay in the delivery of official documents due to reviews is normal and that there are also some that are classified.