Venezuelan ex-minister Alex Saab pleads not guilty to U.S. charges

Alex Saab, a former Venezuelan minister and Colombian businessman accused by U.S. authorities of being a close associate of Nicolás Maduro, has formally entered a plea of not guilty to charges of money laundering and conspiracy. His legal team submitted the plea through their lawyers during a brief court appearance in Miami, which Saab himself did not attend.

The charges against Saab include money laundering, conspiracy to conduct financial transactions, and concealing the origins of funds. The plea of not guilty sets the stage for a potential jury trial, though no date has yet been set by the court. Saab's legal representatives requested a jury trial during the hearing.

This development comes after Saab's deportation from Venezuela to the United States earlier this year. He had previously been detained in Cabo Verde in 2020 and extradited to the U.S. He was later released in 2023 as part of a prisoner exchange facilitated by the Biden administration, after which he returned to Caracas and was appointed minister. His current legal situation is closely watched, given his alleged role in the financial dealings of the Venezuelan government.