World · Latin America · 6 hrs ago
Venezuela hands Álex Saab associate Álvaro Pulido over to the US
Venezuela’s acting President Delcy Rodríguez’s government handed Álvaro Pulido over to the United States after he had been held in Caracas since 2023.
Pulido, a Colombian-born associate of Álex Saab, is accused by US prosecutors of laundering money through alleged bribery and fraud.
Prosecutors say the cases involve about $350 million linked to a housing contract and bribes tied to $1.6 billion in food and medicine contracts.
Pulido is the second key figure in the alleged corruption schemes to be transferred from Venezuela to the US, five months after Saab.
The handovers come as prosecutors have expanded a case against Nicolás Maduro and his wife, and one journalist says they increase pressure on Maduro’s inner circle.
Pulido is due to appear in federal court in Miami on Tuesday to face the two cases.
Venezuela has handed Álvaro Pulido, an associate of Álex Saab, over to the United States.
U.S. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche announced the transfer on Sunday, while Venezuela’s government has not commented.
Pulido had been held in Caracas since 2023 and is due to appear before a federal court in Miami on Tuesday.
U.S. prosecutors accuse Pulido of laundering money through schemes involving fictitious imports, bribes, food and medicine contracts.
The handover comes five months after Venezuela transferred Saab to the United States.
- Who
- Venezuela’s government handed over Álvaro Pulido, an associate of Álex Saab, to the United States.
- What
- Pulido was transferred to U.S. custody. He faces two criminal cases.
- When
- The transfer was announced on Sunday. Pulido is due in court on Tuesday.
- Where
- Pulido was handed over by Venezuela to the United States and is due to appear in federal court in Miami.
- Why
- The government’s reason is not stated. U.S. prosecutors accuse Pulido of money laundering linked to bribery and fraud.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Pulido had been held in Caracas since this year.
Saab was deported to the United States, escorted by DEA agents at a Miami airport.
Venezuela handed Pulido over to the United States.
U.S. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche announced Pulido’s transfer on X.
Pulido is due to appear before a federal court in Miami.
- Pulido
- 62 years old
- Previous detention
- Held in Caracas since 2023
- First case
- Prosecutors accuse Pulido and Saab of laundering about $350 million
- Second case
- Involves alleged bribes tied to $1.6 billion in food and medicine import contracts
- Additional alleged proceeds
- U.S. prosecutors say Pulido laundered more than $2 billion through bribery and fraud
- Court appearance
- Federal court in Miami, scheduled for Tuesday
What people are saying
He is no longer a fugitive from justice
Saab had the political relationship, almost a family-like connection, with Maduro, while Pulido was the one who structured the companies through which the money flowed
This looks more like a political bargain than a genuine will to pursue justice. If it were, both would be tried in Venezuela, where they committed the crimes
Sources
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