Maduro ally claims diplomatic status to avoid U.S. charges

An attorney for a businessman enriched by Venezuela's government argued in federal court Wednesday that his client's continued detention on corruption charges sets a dangerous precedent that could endanger the free movement of U.S. officials around the world.

The hearing held before an appeals panel in Miami centered around the politically thorny issue of whether Alex Saab is a Venezuelan diplomat and entitled to immunity from prosecution under U.S. law and numerous international treaties.

Saab's attorneys have argued that he was traveling to Iran as a duly appointed special envoy of President Nicolas Maduro's socialist government when he was arrested on a U.S. warrant nearly two years ago in Cape Verde during a refueling stop. They've produced letters to Iran's supreme leader by Maduro's foreign minister and a diplomatic note from Iran's Embassy in Caracas backing their claim.

But prosecutors have cast doubt on the authenticity of those documents and point out that the State Department has never accepted Saab's supposed status as diplomat. Indeed, in 2019, the U.S. recognized opposition leader Juan Guaido as Venezuela's legitimate leader, although more recently the Biden administration has taken steps to engage with Maduro, who has clung to power in the face of severe U.S. oil sanctions.

"This is a ruse set up by a rogue nation to evade criminal prosecution," Jeremy Sanders, an attorney with the Justice Department in Washington, said during the hearing.