Venezuelan government interrupts dialogue in Mexico with opposition for extradition of Alex Saab to the United States
Jorge Rodríguez, president of the Legislative Assembly of Venezuela, announced the suspension of dialogue between the government and opponents.
Photo: FEDERICO PARRA / AFP / Getty Images
The Government of Venezuela interrupted, as a consequence of the extradition to the US of Alex Saab -presumed front man of Nicolás Maduro-, the dialogue that was taking place with the opposition since last August 13 and whose fourth session was to begin this Sunday, October 17, in Mexico City.
The announcement was made yesterday Saturday by the president of the Legislative Assembly and head of the official delegation for dialogue, Jorge Rodríguez, who blamed the United States, Colombia and the opposition for this situation.
“Our delegation announces that it suspends its participation in the negotiation and dialogue table; Consequently, we will not attend the round that was to begin tomorrow, October 17 (this Sunday) in Mexico City as a profound expression of our protest against the brutal aggression against the person and the inauguration of our delegate Álex Saab, ”he said. Rodriguez.
Alex Saab, arrested on June 12 of last year in Cape Verde at the request of the US in a money laundering case, was recently appointed a member of the Venezuelan government’s negotiating team, who also defends him as a diplomat.
Rodríguez, who was in the company of the entire government delegation, described the extradition as an “illegal action” that “violates” international law.
In addition, he blamed the Government of Iván Duque, the United States and the opposition “led by Juan Guaidó and Leopoldo López ”of the“ aggression ”against Venezuela.
“This illegal and inhumane action, harmful to international law, constitutes a new act of aggression by the United States against the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, given that Álex Saab has been incorporated by our country as a full member of the dialogue and negotiation process that takes place in Mexico, “he added.
He also said that Saab’s life “is in danger” at the hands of the US justice system, which he demanded his release.
According to sources from the Cape Verdean Government revealed to Efe, the Constitutional Court of that country, which considered the Colombian’s extradition constitutional on September 7, sent the final judicial order to the Attorney General on Thursday, October 14, so that the extradition become effective.
The name of the 49-year-old businessman, who was eventually extradited, appeared in the media when the former Venezuelan prosecutor Luisa Ortega Díaz accused him in 2017 of being one of Maduro’s front men.
The businessman and three stepchildren of Maduro profited from these operations with “hundreds of millions of dollars,” according to US authorities.
With information from Efe.
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