SUNTV Global Channel | January 17, 2026 | Caracas, Venezuela
Venezuela’s interim president, Delcy Rodríguez, has removed Colombian-born businessman Alex Saab — a close ally of deposed leader Nicolás Maduro — from his position as Minister of Industry and National Production in a major government shake-up.
In a statement shared on her official Telegram account on Friday, January 16, 2026, Rodríguez said the Ministry of Industry would be merged with the Commerce Ministry and thanked Saab “for his service to the Homeland,” adding that he would be assigned “new responsibilities.”
Saab’s dismissal marks one of the most high-profile changes to Venezuela’s government since Rodríguez assumed the interim presidency following the U.S. military capture of Nicolás Maduro on January 3, 2026. The move also comes amid continued diplomatic pressure from Washington as the United States seeks to reshape Venezuela’s political and economic landscape.
Alex Saab, who was released from U.S. detention in 2023 as part of a prisoner exchange and later appointed industry minister by Maduro in 2024, has long been accused of acting as a front man and financier for the ousted president. Investigators linked him to alleged money-laundering schemes and government contracts that roused international scrutiny.
Before his ministerial role, Saab was detained in 2020 during a refuelling stopover in Cape Verde on an Interpol warrant on allegations of laundering funds on behalf of Maduro. He was extradited to the United States, where he faced charges related to corruption and exploitation of food-aid programmes before his release.
The reorganisation also reflects broader efforts by the interim government to distance itself from Maduro’s inner circle and demonstrate responsiveness to calls for reform and transparency. Rodríguez’s announcement noted that other senior positions would see changes as part of a wider restructuring, as Venezuela navigates a turbulent post-Maduro transition.
The merged ministry is expected to be led by Luis Antonio Villegas, the current Commerce Minister, under the reconfigured cabinet.
Saab’s removal is likely to attract international attention as Venezuela continues to grapple with political unrest and ongoing negotiations with foreign governments, particularly the United States, over economic policy and democratic reforms. SUNTV Global Channel will continue to monitor developments in Venezuela’s evolving political scene.
