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Maduro ally deported to US over alleged billion-dollar corruption scheme tied to oil, food program
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A close ally of ousted Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has been deported by Venezuela to the United States, according to Venezuelan officials, to face federal charges accusing him of orchestrating a sweeping money laundering and bribery scheme tied to Venezuela’s state-run food program and oil industry.
Alex Nain Saab Moran, 55, of Colombia, a former minister of industry and national production under the Maduro regime, appeared in federal court in Miami Monday, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida. The Justice Department said Saab is presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Prosecutors allege Saab led a yearslong scheme beginning around 2015 to defraud a humanitarian program intended to provide food to impoverished Venezuelans.
He and his co-conspirators later allegedly sold billions of dollars’ worth of Venezuelan state-owned oil while circumventing U.S. sanctions, according to the Justice Department. Authorities say the proceeds were routed through U.S. bank accounts in an effort to conceal the transactions and further advance the scheme.
MADURO ALLY ALEX SAAB ARRESTED IN JOINT US-VENEZUELAN OPERATION, OFFICIAL SAYS
Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro (L) speaks to supporters next to Colombian-born businessman Alex Saab during a rally in Caracas on January 23, 2024. (GABRIELA ORAA/AFP via Getty Images)
«Alex Saab allegedly used American banks to launder hundreds of millions of dollars stolen from a Venezuelan food program meant for the poor and proceeds from the illegal sale of Venezuelan oil,» Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva said in a statement. «This is unacceptable. The Criminal Division will not allow foreign actors to exploit the American financial system and use it as a safe haven for the proceeds of their corruption.»
Beginning around 2015, Saab and his associates allegedly paid bribes to Venezuelan government officials to secure contracts tied to the country’s CLAP welfare program, which was intended to purchase and distribute food to vulnerable and impoverished Venezuelans.
Instead of delivering the promised food supplies, prosecutors allege the group used shell companies, fraudulent invoices and falsified shipping records to embezzle hundreds of millions of dollars from the program for their own personal gain.
TREASURY TARGETS OIL TRADERS, TANKERS ACCUSED OF HELPING MADURO EVADE U.S. SANCTIONS
Businessman Alex Saab walks through Miraflores Palace in Caracas, Venezuela, on Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2024. (Carlos Becerra/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Around 2019, as sweeping U.S. sanctions crippled Venezuela’s oil exports and placed severe strain on the country’s finances, including its ability to pay Saab and his associates under the CLAP program, Saab and his partners allegedly exploited their corrupt ties to government officials to gain access to billions of dollars’ worth of oil owned by Venezuela’s state-run oil company.
Officials allege the group sold the oil under false pretenses and used the profits to sustain and expand the original food fraud scheme.
Saab and his associates reportedly laundered the allegedly stolen funds through U.S. bank accounts in an effort to conceal the money trail, giving American authorities jurisdiction to prosecute the case.
«When illicit proceeds are moved through the United States financial system, our courts have jurisdiction and our prosecutors will act,» U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones said in a statement.
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Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro (R) shakes hands with Colombian-born businessman Alex Saab in Caracas on January 15, 2024. (FEDERICO PARRA/AFP)
Saab was previously indicted in the U.S. in 2019 and extradited from Cabo Verde in 2021. He was pardoned by President Biden in 2023 as part of a prisoner swap, though prosecutors say the new case involves alleged conduct not covered by that pardon.
A Miami-based attorney for Saab declined to comment to The Associated Press.
If convicted, Saab faces up to 20 years in federal prison. The government is also seeking forfeiture of any property or proceeds allegedly obtained through the alleged criminal activity.
The case was investigated by a U.S. Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF), which includes the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
venezuelan political crisis, colombia, saab, nicolas maduro, sanctions, crime world
INTERNACIONAL
Reporter’s Notebook: Tlaib forces rare House procedure after Republican accuses her of defending terrorists
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«Words taken down.»
That term of art may not mean much off Capitol Hill. But it’s a phrase which usually signals there’s a ruckus in the House of Representatives.
The House witnessed one such melee recently. Lawmakers debated a war powers resolution for Lebanon. Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., pushed the measure, hoping to restrict President Donald Trump’s conflict in Iran. Especially as other places in the region emerge as flashpoints.
Tlaib, a Palestinian-America, is one of only two Muslim women in Congress. She is one of the most controversial members of Congress. And she often speaks out against Israel.
«We must end U.S. participation in the Israeli apartheid regime’s invasion of Lebanon. The Israeli military continues to target journalists like Amal Khalil and use our tax dollars to commit war crimes,» said Tlaib.
RASHIDA TLAIB HIT WITH HOUSE CENSURE THREAT, ACCUSED OF ‘CELEBRATING TERRORISM’ IN PRO-PALESTINIAN SPEECH
Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., is pushing the federal government to recognize and enforce numerous rights for the homeless population, including the right of «freedom from harassment» from law enforcement and property owners. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
But the House floor devolved into a verbal fracas when Rep. Max Miller, R-Ohio, tore into Tlaib, attacking her personally and mentioning Hezbollah during the floor debate.
«Its members are butchers that you like to hang out with to a certain extent,» charged Miller, who is Jewish. «Yes, you advocate for terrorists on a daily basis. You advocate for a terrorist regime every single day.»
Tlaib hollered at Miller from across the chamber, but it wasn’t clear what she said since the Michigan Democrat wasn’t on mic.
«Oh, I’m sorry. Are we getting a little emotional?» chided Miller.
Tlaib erupted, at that, shouting even more loudly at Miller.
Rep. Jay Obernolte, R-Calif., presided over the debate from the dais. Obernolte had enough of the verbal judo and slammed down the gavel.
«Colleagues, this is a serious topic. We will debate it respectfully and deliberately,» admonished Obernolte. «Is the gentlewoman from Michigan making a motion?»
NANCY MACE CHALLENGES DEM REP TO ‘TAKE IT OUTSIDE’ AFTER ‘CHILD, LISTEN’ COMMENT SPARKS CHAOS
Rep. Jay Obernolte, R-Calif., attends a House Natural Resources Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests, and Public Lands hearing on the 9/11 Memorial and Museum Act and other legislation in the Longworth Building on Dec. 7, 2021. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc/Getty Images)
Tlaib had made it to one of the mics in the chamber by this point.
«Yes, Mr. Speaker, I am. That is a direct attack on my character. I please request to strike the words down,» said Tlaib.
And there it was. «Words taken down.»
Tlaib may have garbled the precise verbiage of the parliamentary request. But her motion brought debate on the war powers resolution and all other business before the House to a screeching halt.
«The gentleman from Ohio will be seated,» Obernolte instructed Miller.
In effect, Tlaib’s motion is the parliamentary equivalent of pulling someone over for speeding. You might get a ticket. Maybe not. Especially if you’re cooperative with the officer. But the authorities will first investigate. And that’s what unfolded on the House floor.
During this stasis, the House conducts no business. The House suspends speeches. Amendments. Votes. Nothing happens on the floor until they figure out if someone broke the rules.
The phrase «words taken down» refers to the process of the House’s institutional staff and stenographers to document or «take down» language uttered by a member that may violate House rules. The House prohibits members from personal attacks on fellow lawmakers, impugning the motives of their colleagues or «engaging in personalities.» One member can’t disparage another personally.
Tlaib clearly believed that Miller broke House rules by saying she would «like to hang out» and «advocate for terrorists.» Tlaib also believed the line about her «getting a little emotional» may have crossed the line, too.
‘SQUAD’ MEMBER DELIVERS REAL-TIME WHITEBOARD RESPONSES TO TRUMP: ‘NO KING!’
Rep. Max Miller, R-Ohio, said he stood by his remarks associating Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., with Hezbollah «butchers.» (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images; Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
If it’s pretty clear that a member broke the rules of decorum, someone from leadership or key staff may ask offending lawmaker to withdraw the language in question and apologize. But if the member resists, the House has no alternative but to rule that member out of order. The House then expunges the speech and he or she is suspended from speaking on the House floor the rest of the day.
If the chair rules that member violated the rules, it’s possible that someone could appeal the ruling of the chair. That would entail a roll call vote, where the entire House votes yes or no on whether they believe their colleague broke the rules. Or, another member might move to «table the appeal of the ruling of the chair.» In that scenario, the House votes on whether to kill or set aside the appeal. Thus, the vote is a step removed from actually voting on appealing the chair’s ruling.
After an hour of delay, it was clear that Miller wouldn’t apologize or withdraw his statement.
«The words of the gentleman from Ohio contain an allegation that the gentlewoman from Michigan is a ‘butcher’ and affiliated with a terrorist organization,» said Obernolte. «Such remarks impugn the patriotism and loyalty of the member of the House.»
Obernolte added that «the remarks contain personalities and are not in order. Without objection, the offending words are stricken from the record.»
So the House sanctioned Miller for breaking the rules and benched him for the remainder of the day.
House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Brian Mast, R-Fla., managed the Lebanon war powers debate on the floor for the GOP. Since the House muted Miller, Mast spoke on his behalf.
«I’m going to deliver a message from Rep. Miller of Ohio,» said Mast, who quoted this Republican colleague. «‘Yes, I said it. I own it. And I stand by it.’»
CHAOS ERUPTS DURING IMMIGRATION HEARING AS DEMOCRAT LUNGES AT CHAIRMAN’S GAVEL: ‘I’M TIRED OF YOU’ ‘
Rep. Brian Mast, R-Fla., said supporters of the Lebanon war powers resolution are acting as «proxies for Hezbollah.» (Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc)
The Florida Republican then asked the House if he could submit for the record an article entitled ‘Rashida Talib, member of secret Facebook Group where Hamas Terrorists glorified.’»
Tlaib objected.
Mast then tried to submit into the record a transcript about Tlaib allegedly speaking about genocide.
Tlaib objected to that as well.
Yours truly first encountered a parliamentary donnybrook like this in 1994 while working at C-SPAN. Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., tangled with then-Rep. Pete King, R-N.Y. The House ruled Waters out of order. Then-House Speaker Tom Foley, D-Wash., came to the floor to mete out the punishment, not leaving the umpiring to a more junior lawmaker.
The day after the Tlaib/Miller brouhaha, Obernolte released a bipartisan framework to help establish guardrails for AI.
I pressed Obernolte on how an AI chatbot might handle the dust-up if it were presiding over the House.
«AI is actually very good at this. You give it a rules manual and then you give it a specific instance and say ‘Is this in compliance with rules or is this a violation of the rules?’» said Obernolte. «I think last night was obviously someone engaging in personalities. And, I think I made the correct ruling. I think AI would have also made the correct ruling.»
It wasn’t that long ago that the actual Speaker of the House came to the floor to sort out a kerfuffle between two members. Could the House ever delegate such refereeing to AI?
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Taking down words? Ruling members out of order? Suspending members for additional speeches that day if they get out of line?
One can imagine that members will say a lot of words worthy of being taken down if AI ever becomes the parliamentary umpire in the House of Representatives.
congress, politics, wars, foreign policy senate, house of representatives politics, rashida tlaib
INTERNACIONAL
Bolivia: los cocaleros de Evo Morales se radicalizan para exigir la renuncia de Rodrigo Paz
Las seis federaciones de cocaleros afines al exmandatario Evo Morales (2006-2019) anunciaron este domingo la radicalización de las medidas de presión para exigir la renuncia del presidente Rodrigo Paz.
La determinación, asumida en una reunión “de emergencia” entre sus afiliados, surge en rechazo al operativo de desbloqueo en el municipio cruceño de San Julián el sábado, donde al menos 33 personas —entre ellas seis policías— resultaron heridas y se reportó el uso de armas de fuego entre civiles.
“El Gobierno no tiene la capacidad para manejar Bolivia, tiene que dar un paso al costado (…) vamos a radicalizar nuestras movilizaciones”, anunció en un video el dirigente cocalero Gastón Ledezma y expresó su respaldo a las organizaciones que realizan bloqueos en otros departamentos, como la Federación de Campesinos de La Paz Túpac Katari y la Central Obrera Boliviana.
De igual forma, los cocaleros acordaron realizar una movilización masiva el miércoles 10 de junio en la región del Trópico de Cochabamba, bastión del expresidente Morales, en protesta por los recurrentes cortes del servicio eléctrico en su región.
“Nos han quitado servicios básicos, luz y (telecomunicaciones), son un servicio y un derecho humano”, señaló Ledezma y calificó la suspensión como un acto de “amedrentamiento” contra su sector. La Empresa de Luz y Fuerza Eléctrica de Cochabamba justificó los cortes a fallas técnicas por la caída de postes de alta tensión.
Este lunes se cumplen siete meses del Gobierno de Rodrigo y Paz y 33 días desde que comenzaron los bloqueos que tienen paralizada gran parte del país.
Los conflictos sociales iniciaron con reclamos de aumentos salariales, protestas por la escasez y mala calidad del combustible y en rechazo a varias reformas que estaba encarando el gobierno. Las protestas se intensificaron en las últimas semanas cuando sindicatos obreros, campesinos de la región occidental, cocaleros y otros sectores empezaron a exigir la renuncia del primer mandatario.
Desde entonces, las manifestaciones y los bloqueos de carreteras se han masificado y extendido por todo el país. Este lunes, la Administradora Boliviana de Carreteras reporta 84 piquetes en seis de los nueve departamentos del país.
El gobierno apostó en este tiempo por llamar al diálogo a los sectores movilizados en encuentros que nunca se concretaron e intentó habilitar “corredores humanitarios” para permitir el paso de alimentos e insumos básicos a las regiones que se encuentran sitiadas. En paralelo, el Parlamento abrogó una ley vigente desde 2020 que limitaba el estado de excepción y aprobó la madrugada del domingo otra norma para regular su implementación, que hasta ahora no ha sido promulgada por el presidente.
En medio de la creciente escasez de alimentos, medicamentos y combustible en La Paz y El Alto, las dos ciudades más afectadas por los cortes de carreteras, el gobierno de Paz enfrenta una creciente presión, especialmente entre actores políticos y representantes de sectores estratégicos afectados por los bloqueos, para asumir acciones.
“El país parece haber llegado al punto en el que las posiciones difícilmente pueden seguir siendo las mismas”, señala este lunes el editorial del periódico boliviano El País sobre la urgencia de poner fin al conflicto. “Ni el Gobierno ni los sectores movilizados disponen ya de demasiado margen para prolongar indefinidamente una situación que erosiona la convivencia y profundiza la incertidumbre, pero desde luego es el presidente el que tiene menor margen”, agrega.
A pesar de que el tiempo corre en contra, y de que hace 13 días que el presidente Paz advirtió que “el tiempo se acaba” y dijo que haría uso de sus atribuciones constitucionales, nadie en el gobierno da señales de cuál es la estrategia para resolver la crisis ni cuáles serán los próximos pasos.
Business,Civil Conflict,Demonstrations,Riots,Top Picture,Corporate Events,South America / Central America,Civil Unrest
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