The trial against Álex Saab from Barranquilla, designated figurehead of Nicolás Maduro, entered a kind of limbo due to a series of documentary evidence that several agencies of United States have not reported to the Florida federal court that I prosecute him for money laundering.
This was evident this Friday during a hearing that had to be postponed until August 26, on behalf of the lack of documentation from the departments of State, Justice, Homeland Security, and offices such as the FBI and the CIA.
In fact, as reported by the EFE agency, during the postponed judicial appointment it was also aired that documentary evidence is needed, which was requested through diplomatic channels from Colombia, Venezuela and Cape Verde.
Both the Prosecutor’s Office and the Barranquilla’s defense accepted the postponement of the hearing until the requested evidence arrives, but the judge leading the process, Robert N. Scola, asked the prosecuting entity for “greater effort” so that the accused party has access to this type of documentation.
During this Friday’s diligence, in which Saab appeared in a beige uniform, handcuffed and with his long hair tied back, Scola revealed what the new hearing schedule will be: 26 of August; 16 of September; October 7, 17 and 31; and November 14.
Álex Saab was extradited to the United States last October to answer for the alleged laundering of at least 350 million dollars that the Venezuelan regime allegedly hid through Barranquilla.
Even at 50 years of age, he faces a sentence that could exceed 20 years behind bars. And that is precisely why he pleaded “not guilty” to the charges and, in addition, claimed to have diplomatic immunity by being recognized by Caracas as one of its foreign affairs officials.