After being received as a hero, Venezuela incorporates Saab into the dialogue table with the opposition

The government of Nicolás Maduro announced this Thursday the incorporation of the businessman Alex Saab as a member of his team at the dialogue table he maintains with the opposition, after being released by U.S as part of an exchange for 10 Americans arrested in Venezuela and the extradition of a fugitive.

Saab, considered by US authorities to be Maduro’s financial operator, arrived in Venezuela the day before aboard a private plane and was received at the Miraflores Palace like a hero whoHe was kidnapped for 1,280 days“, given that Maduro considers that he was detained illegally on charges of money laundry It is straw man.

LOOK HERE: Who is Alex Saab, Maduro’s supposed figurehead who went from a prison in the US to a “hero” in Venezuela

The businessman, Colombian and nationalized Venezuelan, was arrested in 2020 in Cape Green when he was stopping to load fuel bound for Iran to negotiate oil deals on behalf of the Maduro government. In October 2021 he was extradited to U.S and in response Maduro, who considers him a Venezuelan diplomat, suspended dialogues with the opposition.

On Thursday Saab made a new appearance in Caracas at a press conference led by Jorge Rodríguezhead of the Maduro government delegation and president of the National Assemblyand in his first statement as a member of the negotiating team he said that “reconciliation is inevitable”.

Additionally, he thanked the U.S. government Joe Biden per “follow the path of mutual respect, peace and understanding”and acknowledged that“It takes a lot of courage, character and vision to move away from failed policies, so my respects to President Biden”.

The exchange angered Venezuelan opponents who criticized the The White House for being passive while Maduro repeatedly surpasses washington after the government’s pressure campaign failed donald trump to bring him down. He also raised concerns that the United States encourages hostage-taking abroad.

According to Rodríguez, who dedicated himself to defending Saab’s innocence, in the United States “They were unable to prove any of the accusations”. Instead, he assured that Venezuela demonstrated “crimes committed by US citizens who were exchanged for Alex Saabtwo of them terrorists”.

Saab, in turn, reported having been “tortured”, without providing evidence. According to Rodríguez, “they kicked off” three teeth and put towels in his mouth for hours to “generate mechanical asphyxiation”.

MORE INFORMATION: The US admits that it released Alex Saab as part of its strategy to prevent Venezuelan migration

Rodríguez issued a warning and said that “let’s not stay like this,” in reference to Saab’s alleged torture, which he described as “Crimes against humanity”.

Venezuela’s biggest hostage exchange occurred after the United States agreed to lift some economic sanctions against that country as part of an agreement it is participating in with the South American country to achieve transparent elections next year.

On October 17, the Venezuelan government and the opposition agreed to Barbadosestablish some guarantees with a view to a free, fair and verifiable electoral process in 2024.

Venezuela promised to accept the presence of observers from the European Union and present a plan and timetable for lifting bans that prevent some opposition leaders from participating in elections.

When asked by journalists whether after the exchange there would be progress in agreeing on a date for the elections, Rodríguez replied that “If you want a truly fair election” to be “sanction-free”.

Maria Corina MachadoMaduro’s main candidate after winning the October 22 primary elections, in which the opposition sought to define a single candidate capable of overcoming him, reacted on Thursday to Saab’s switch.

SEE TOO: US congressmen and Venezuelan exiles deplore Alex Saab’s release and warn of future effects

The political leader guaranteed that whoever is in power uses the resources “unscrupulous” to convert “to a criminal who exploited our people’s hunger for their favorite currency”in the negotiation between Chavismo and the opposition.

The former legislator is one of the political figures disqualified by the Controller General held public office for 15 years for an alleged corruption plan of which he presented no evidence and without criminal prosecution. Therefore, Machado proposed a “preventive protection” before him Supreme Court of Justice.

The judicial body instructed the Comptroller to deliver the certified copies.”of administrative acts”for which political disqualification was imposed.

Source: Elcomercio

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I am Jack Morton and I work in 24 News Recorder. I mostly cover world news and I have also authored 24 news recorder. I find this work highly interesting and it allows me to keep up with current events happening around the world.