Maduro ally freed in US prisoner exchange joins government cabinet

Colombian businessman Alex Saab volition go caller manufacture minister, successful latest furniture alteration since contested election.

Alex Saab, an state of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro freed successful a prisoner exchange with the United States past year, volition articulation Venezuela’s authorities arsenic the caller manufacture minister.

Maduro announced connected Friday that Saab, a Colombian businessman previously jailed successful the US connected wealth laundering charges, would regenerate Pedro Tellechea successful the position.

Tellechea said successful a societal media station that helium had made the “difficult decision” to resign owed to “health problems that necessitate my contiguous attention”.

The alteration marks the latest furniture alteration for Maduro, who reshuffled his cabinet successful August amid governmental turmoil aft a contested predetermination the absorption maintains Maduro lost, contempt his claims of victory.

Maduro said connected the messaging app Telegram that Saab would assistance instrumentality the “development of the full concern strategy of Venezuela” nether a “new economical model”.

Saab was returned to Venezuela successful December 2023 aft being exchanged for 10 US prisoners held successful Venezuela. That woody was portion of a wide easing of tensions betwixt Washington and Caracas, which included promises from the Maduro authorities that escaped elections would beryllium held.

Maduro’s victory successful July was certified by the country’s electoral authorities and precocious court. But predetermination oversight groups, quality rights organisations, determination leaders, and the Venezuelan absorption person each cast doubt connected Maduro’s claims, and the authorities has not released information that could substantiate its claims.

Pre-election polling had shown Maduro connected way to suffer to the absorption by an overwhelming margin, and the authorities has led a harsh crackdown connected dissent successful the months since the election.

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Al Jazeera and quality agencies