In Venezuelan political developments, Maduro welcomes a long-time companion to his government cabinet, who had previously secured clemency in a prisoner swap facilitated by the United States.
Maduro appointed Alex Saab as the minister of industry and production, tasking him with improving "the entire industrial system of Venezuela" within the guidelines of a "new economic model."
Maduro shared this news via the messaging app Telegram.
Saab was a free man again in Venezuela by December, having been in custody since 2020 after Cape Verdean authorities detained him on a US warrant for alleged money laundering offenses. US law enforcement considered Saab to be a middleman for Maduro.
The president managed to secure Saab's freedom and pardon through a negotiation with the Biden administration. The swap involved trading Saab for the release of 10 Americans and a defense contractor, often referred to as "Big Gordo", who was wanted for his suspected involvement in the core of a huge Pentagon bribery scandal.
Venezuela saw the largest number of American prisoners released in its history within weeks of the White House granting Venezuela a significant relaxation of economic sanctions. This followed Maduro's promise to collaborate with political opposition towards creating fair and free conditions for the 2024 presidential election.
However, the US ended this sanctions relief earlier this year, as hopes for a democratic shift waned.
Last month, in response to Venezuela's contested July presidential election, the US imposed sanctions on 16 of Maduro's supporters, accusing them of interfering with the election and abusing human rights.
Saab was taken into custody in 2020 during a fuel stop on his way to negotiate oil deals for Maduro's government in Iran.
The US accusations against Saab included conspiring to launder money linked to a bribery scheme that allegedly diverted $350 million through state contracts to finance affordable housing projects.
Additionally, Saab was charged with overseeing a scheme that allegedly swindled hundreds of millions of dollars from food-import contracts at a time when hunger was rampant in the South American country due to food shortages.
After his arrest, Maduro's government maintained Saab was a special envoy on a humanitarian mission and was afforded diplomatic immunity from prosecution under international law.
Despite the US accusations against Alex Saab for alleged money laundering and involvement in corruption schemes, Maduro's appointment of Saab as the minister of industry and production signified a significant shift in Venezuela's industrial sector, aiming to improve the entire industrial system within a new economic model. This development showcased the Americas' and the world's attention to Venezuela's political and economic transformations.
