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In less than 24 hours, Venezuelan Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza notified authorities of at least 4 countries of the decision of the Nicolás Maduro regime to designate the Barranquillero Álex Saab Morán as extraordinary and plenipotentiary Ambassador, alternate permanent representative of the Venezuelan Mission to the African Union.
The news, revealed exclusively by EL TIEMPO, was picked up by international media and Ethiopia, the headquarters of that organization, began to process Arreaza’s request for Saab to take office.
(We invite you to read: Nicolás Maduro has everything ready to take Álex Saab to Ethiopia)
The last-minute diplomatic move seeks to shelter with the total immunity that these ambassadors enjoy, to force Cape Verde to release Saab, imprisoned since June 13, 2020 and requested for extradition by the United States.
(You may be interested: Maduro’s move to grant Álex Saab immunity)
The information is enshrined in a new statement issued by one of his many lawyers (Rutsel Martha), which warns that the new position grants him immediate diplomatic immunity.
(Also: Why is Piedad Córdoba still in the DEA’s dossier on Álex Saab?)
“Accreditation before the African Union is important due to the position of that organization on the immunity of heads of state and other high officials,” says the lawyer in the document in which, in addition, he contextualizes the legal basis of the immunity that , in his view, would now flaunt Saab.
This is the office with which Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza asks Saab to assume immediate functions in Ethiopia.
In addition to immunity, the position of Nicolás Maduro granted to Saab includes a juicy salary.
Reply from USA
In fact, federal agents told this newspaper that they had already verified the authenticity of the documents revealed by EL TIEMPO regarding the designation.
“If they decided to appoint him ambassador, it is because they admit that, at the time of his capture, as a supposed ‘special envoy’ of the regime, he did not have diplomatic rank, as his lawyers have been claiming,” said a source in Miami.
(In context: Maduro warns Cape Verde for keeping Álex Saab in prison)
And he added: “It is a false step. No appointment of this type has retroactive effects. It will not affect his arrest or the extradition process at all. And the dictatorship admits with that move the fear that Saab will be prosecuted in U.S”.
This is the Saab Defense statement announcing its immunity.
In addition, the federal source pointed out that at the time of the capture, Saab did not carry any document that accredited him as a ‘special envoy’ of the regime: “It is a desperate measure to appoint him plenipotentiary ambassador.”
The United States links Álex Saab with a dozen companies.
What happens in Cape Verde?
The Cape Verdean government has not addressed the issue. But one of his delegates ruled out on Wednesday that the Saab case will affect relations with the United States or with Iran, which was denied the landing of an aircraft in the last week.
(You may be interested: This is the Álex Saab credit card that entangles 2 Colombians) As for the file, it entered the freezer due to the judicial vacancy, which is reactivated on January 15.
This is the office in which Jorge Arreaza announces that Álex Saab is plenipotentiary ambassador.
“The actions of Saab’s defense before the West African Court of Justice once again delayed the extradition process. There will be a green light in February 2021,” explained an insider.
(See here all the articles of the Investigative Unit of EL TIEMPO)
But the Saab defense is sure that Maduro’s designated front man will be released in the coming days. In fact, they recalled that they requested a new hearing before Cedeao, to request that their new immunity be respected, so that Cape Verde receives sanctions.
INVESTIGATIVE UNIT
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