The keys to the Alex Saab 1:26 case
(CNN Spanish) ––
The Court of Justice of the Community of West African States (Cedeao) ordered this Monday that Colombian businessman Alex Saab, detained in Cape Verde, must be released and his extradition process terminated to the United States as his arrest was "illegal," his defense team reported.
CNN has not been able to independently confirm the decision with the legal body.
The decision of the Cape Verdean authorities on whether they will comply with the measure is still pending.
In this regard, Baltasar Garzón, coordinator of the businessman's international defense, demanded in a statement that the African country comply "without delay with each and every one of the points of this sentence."
Cape Verdean Justice Grants Alex Saab House Arrest, Defense Says
Saab has been detained since June 18, 2020. The US justice considers him a fugitive and accuses him of being one of the main money launderers of the Venezuelan government.
He is also accused of being a front man for the questioned President Nicolás Maduro.
The case of Alex Saab
In the past, the Maduro government has said that Saab has a Venezuelan diplomatic passport.
Also that, at the time of his arrest, he was on a special humanitarian mission in Iran, under the status of "Special Envoy of Venezuela."
Therefore, according to his defense, Saab has diplomatic immunity.
The Venezuelan Foreign Ministry has supported this argument in statements.
Saab's defense has told CNN that he is a representative of Maduro and that there is no crime in that.
For his part, Maduro has not directly referred to the issue.
However, through communications from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, they acknowledge that he was making arrangements for the government.
Alex Saab does not enjoy diplomatic immunity, US prosecutors say.
According to the US Treasury Department, Alex Saab would have benefited from several "overpriced contracts."
Among them those of the government program of food subsidies of Venezuela.
The agency also says that Saab would have participated in illicit operations with that country's gold.
His defense insists that his client is innocent and that he has not committed any crime in any country.
The Cedeao Court of Justice is the main legal body in 15 countries.
Its objective is to resolve disputes related to the interpretation of treaties, protocols and conventions.
Alex SaabCabo Verde