The sentimental pair of the barranquillero industralist and others of their relatives left from Caracas towards the capital of Russia, where they reside at the moment.
The future of Alex Saab is not yet defined. While African justice continues to assess the possibilities of the case, the defense is trying to curb a possible extradition to the United States by all possible means. The decision is in the hands of the Supreme Court of Cape Verde, responsible for determining whether to rule in favor of the Court of Appeals of Barlovento, which, on January 5, gave the green light to the extradition of Saab to the United States. (Read also: Eight months of novel to extradite Alex Saab)
However, the team of lawyers in the service of the Colombian businessman continues to move and, as confirmed by the EFE Agency, three days ago the defenders asked the justice of Cape Verde to suspend the Saab extradition process, pointed out as the alleged ringleader of Nicolás Maduro. “Yesterday we filed a request for suspension of the extradition process against Ambassador Saab before the Supreme Court of Cape Verde,” said Pinto Monteiro, Saab’s chief lawyer in Cape Verde.
The request The request came after a hearing was held on February 5 before the Court of Justice of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS, a bloc to which Cape Verde belongs) on the case of the Colombian businessman. What explains the Colombian’s defense is that Cape Verde must wait for this court to define what is related to the alleged immunity that Saab enjoys as a plenipotentiary ambassador to Africa, a position that was recently granted to him, while he was under arrest.
The truth is that while the focus is on the judicial discussion, Saab’s arrest has had other consequences. According to El Temps, the Italian model Camilla Fabri, Saab’s current partner and other relatives of the businessman, left Caracas earlier this year and settled in Moscow (Russia), with the approval of Venezuela. This medium established that the motivation of Saab’s close circles to leave the country was that, since the capture of the businessman, the family remained heavily guarded by a security scheme. (You may be interested: Alex Saab: Cape Verde says it does not recognize the ECOWAS African Court)
Saab was arrested on June 12, 2020 when its plane stopped to refuel at Amilcar Cabral International Airport on the Cape Verdean island of Sal, following a request from the United States via Interpol of course million dollar laundering. A month later, the Cape Verdean judiciary authorized his extradition to the United States, a decision his defense immediately appealed.
On January 4, the Barlavento Court of Appeal decided to give the green light to Saab’s extradition to the United States, a decision that lawyers have also challenged. The United States considers Saab “mad” of Maduro and suspected of having laundered – next to his right hand, polished Alvaro Enrique – up to $ 350 million (about 296 million euros) for allegedly paying for the corrupt acts of the Venezuelan president.
The defendant has been under house arrest in Cape Verde since January 26, staying in a private residence in the tourist town of Santa Maria. His defense had asked the Cape Verdean court for the measure, alleging that his health was “weak” due to an “existing cancer condition,” of which no further details have been provided. (Related news: Alex Saab’s defense denounces authorities delaying his release from prison)