Delcy Rodríguez removed Colombian businessman Álex Saab from his position as Minister of Industry on Friday, amid pressure from the United States following the attacks on January 3.
This decision comes just weeks after Rodríguez assumed power following the capture of Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, in a U.S. military operation. Saab was a key figure within the financial structure of Chavismo and has been identified by U.S. authorities as an alleged frontman for Maduro.
Born in Barranquilla in 1971, Saab is facing legal proceedings in Florida for alleged money laundering linked to a food program of the Venezuelan regime. In 2023, he was released in the United States as part of an agreement that included the release of 10 American citizens detained in Venezuela. Despite his legal troubles and corruption accusations, Maduro appointed him as Minister of Industry in October 2024, a decision that faced sharp criticism both domestically and internationally.
Rodríguez also announced the merger of the Ministries of Industries and National Production with that of National Commerce, now directed by Luis Antonio Villegas. In her statement regarding Saab’s dismissal, she mentioned he would take on “new responsibilities,” though she provided no further details.
Saab’s removal adds to a series of changes in key positions demanded by the U.S. after Maduro’s fall, in an effort to internally reorganize the Chavista regime.