Colombian businessman Alex Saab is set to take on the role of industry minister, in the most recent cabinet change following a controversial election.
Alex Saab, a close associate of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro who was released in a prisoner exchange with the United States last year, has been appointed as the new industry minister in Venezuela.
Maduro announced on Friday that Saab, a Colombian businessman who was previously detained in the US on money laundering charges, will be stepping into Pedro Tellechea’s position.
Tellechea, in a social media statement, cited “health issues that demand my immediate attention” as the reason for his resignation, describing it as a challenging decision.
This cabinet change is the latest for Maduro, who reorganized his cabinet in August amidst political unrest following a disputed election where the opposition claims Maduro did not win, despite his assertions of victory.
Maduro stated on the messaging app Telegram that Saab will play a crucial role in implementing the development of Venezuela’s entire industrial system under a new economic framework.
Saab returned to Venezuela in December 2023 after being swapped for 10 US prisoners detained in Venezuela. This exchange was part of a broader effort to ease tensions between Washington and Caracas, with assurances from the Maduro government regarding upcoming free elections.
Although Maduro’s triumph in July was validated by the country’s electoral authorities and judiciary, election monitoring groups, human rights organizations, regional leaders, and the Venezuelan opposition have all expressed skepticism about Maduro’s claims, as the government has not shared data to support them.
Polls conducted prior to the election had indicated that Maduro was on course to lose to the opposition by a significant margin, leading the government to crackdown on dissent in the months that followed the election.
