Two days after EL TIEMPO exclusively revealed that part of Álex Saab’s family had moved from Caracas to Moscow, in the middle of the last section of the definition of his extradition to the United States, the barraquillero’s defense ruled in this regard.
Sources in Caracas and documents held by this newspaper confirm that the Italian model Camilla Fabri, Saab’s wife, was in Colombia before the start of the pandemic and traveled to Venezuela by private plane. Besides, he’s been in that country ever since Capture Saab (June 12, 2020) until a few weeks ago, when he traveled to Russia with other people.
(We invite you to read: Alex Saab’s family was transferred from Caracas to Moscow)
The information was reproduced by both the Colombian and international media, where the transfer to Russia is linked to the legal situation of Saab, which was detained for 8 months in Cape Verde, pending a decision on the fund before 11 March on his extradition to the United States or his release.
(You may be interested: for Cape Verde, Saab is not a diplomat and has no immunity)
However, in communicating with EL TIEMPO, Saab’s defense stressed that the connection between Saab and his family with Russia is work.
Nicolás Maduro appointed Saab its plenipotentiary ambassador to Africa in December to grant him immunity.
“The nexus of work”
Indeed, just as the regime acknowledged that Saab was its representative and “special envoy” to the Iranian government for the purchase of gasoline, medicine and food, Russia is only talking about business.
(We invite you to read: Cape Verde launches 5 warnings regarding the extradition of Álex Saab)
“As for Mr. Saab’s family: Contrary to the impression given by some Colombian publications, Mr. Saab’s family has not only ‘moved’ to Moscow,” he says.
He adds: “Due to the fact that Mr. Saab’s work took him to Russia for long periods of 2018, his family was with him, living between Moscow and Caracas. In fact, his youngest daughter was born in Moscow in January. 2020 “.
The final stage?
And, although Saab’s work in Russia is not specified, it is pointed out that “Currently, the whole family is focused on obtaining his release and highlighting the injustice and ill-treatment he has suffered at the hands of the Cape Verde authorities in the last 8 months.”
(Álex Saab complains that the army and police monitor him 24 hours a day)
Saab himself said he considered himself a target of the United States and that what he described as judicial oversizing in his case was due to the political motives of the United States and some of its “regional colleagues” for weakening Maduro. .
In this regard, Cape Verde has announced that for them Saab is neither a diplomat nor has the immunity that its defense requires against Cedeao.. In addition, the fact that the case served legal court time and is now in the hands of the Supreme Court, after the Court of Appeal granted free access to extradition.
(See here all the articles of the EL TIEMPO Investigation Unit)
In the United States, a money laundering lawsuit involving more than $ 350 million is pending. However, for that country, Saab is an essential part of the agreements between Venezuela Maduro and Turkey, Iran and Russia.
INVESTIGATION UNIT
[email protected]
@UinvestigativaET