American justice has extended the deadline for the prosecution to respond to the appeal of Alex Saab, leader of Nicolás Maduro

A judge from the United States granted the US attorney’s office one more month to respond to an appeal filed by Colombian businessman Alex Saab, alleged leader of Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro, and claimed for extradition by a Florida court, where he faces money laundering charges.

The defense of Saab, detained at Green cap (Africa) since June 2020 at the request of the United States, had indicated its opposition to granting additional time to the prosecution, considering that this implied a greater risk of extradition.

After the setback he suffered today in Cape Verde, in the United States, the judge of Cuban origin Barbara lagoa, of the Court of Appeal of the Eleventh Circuit, based in Atlanta (Georgia), approved that the prosecution presents its arguments on October 7 and not September 7 according to the court documents to which the agency had access EFE.

Saab’s lawyers have appealed a Miami court ruling calling it “Fugitive from justice in the United States.”

The Public Prosecutor’s Office recalled that “accused–appellant“Faced with seven counts of money laundering and one more conspiracy to commit this crime.

On April 1, Saab’s defense requested “Cancel the ordinance conferring fugitive status.”

Saab has been detained in Cape Verde since June 2020 and his extradition to the United States was last approved. the 17th of March by the Supreme Court of Justice of this West African island country.

Last March, the judge Robert N. Scola, from a Miami court where he faces money laundering charges, rejected a request by the Colombian to change Saab’s status as a fugitive from justice.

Saab’s defense also asked respond to accusations by the United States Attorney’s Office without setting foot in the country, which Judge Scola also denied.

Cape Verde to extradite the United States to Saab

The Constitutional Court of Cape Verde authorized the extradition to the United States of Saab. This decision comes after a year of legal galley for this 49-year-old businessman.

Saab is accused by the United States of manage a vast network so that the leader Nicolás Maduro and his regime can divert food aid intended for Venezuela to their advantage.

Miami court indicted him in July 2019 with money laundering charges. The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Court of Justice called for Saab’s release in March.

But the Supreme Court of Cape Verde rejected this request and authorized the extradition of the businessman, under house arrest.

After an appeal presented by Saab, the Constitutionnel also “Confirmed legal authorization to extradite the accused to the United States”, he said in his sentence on Tuesday.

For the time being, it is not known when it will be shipped to the United States.

With your partner, Allvaro Pulido, also accused of money laundering, Saab is said to have transferred 350 million dollars outside Venezuela to foreign accounts they owned or controlled. Both could be sentenced to 20 years in prison.

The Venezuelan government, which granted Saab the nationality of that country and provided him with diplomatic support, called the arrest “arbitrary”.

(With information from AFP and EFE)

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