Venezuelan official Saab, formerly held in US, arrested again-Colombian media

Feb 4 (Reuters) – Venezuelan official Alex Saab, a Colombian-Venezuelan former businessman once held in the U.S., was arrested in Venezuela on Wednesday, several Colombian media outlets said.

Saab, a close ally of President Nicolas Maduro, now in U.S. custody, was cinematically detained in Cape Verde in 2020 and held for more than three years in a bribery scheme, before he was granted clemency in exchange for the release of Americans held in Venezuela. 

He returned with fanfare to Venezuela, where Maduro, detained in a U.S. raid on Caracas last month, lauded his loyalty to the country’s socialist revolution and feted him as a national hero.

Maduro later made Saab industry minister, a position he held until last month, when he was removed by interim president Delcy Rodriguez.

Colombian television station Caracol reported Saab had been detained by the domestic intelligence service SEBIN. Caracol added that he could be extradited to the U.S., while Blu Radio said the operation was conducted in tandem with the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation. 

Caracol Radio, a separate entity to the television station, said the arrest took place in the first hours of Wednesday morning and that businessman Raul Gorrin was also being held.

The Venezuelan communications ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment and it was not immediately possible to ascertain whether Saab or Gorrin have legal representation.

(Reporting by Reuters)