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Cape Verde Court Authorizes Extradition of Maduro Frontman Alex Saab to the U.S.

Alex saab - Maduro - testaferro

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The Supreme Court of Justice of Cape Verde authorized today the extradition of Colombian Álex Saab, Nicolás Maduro’s frontman, to the United States, who accuse him of money laundering.

According to the verdict, the Supreme Court rejected the appeal of Saab’s defense and confirmed the decision of a lower court to approve the delivery of the front man, detained in the African country since last June 12 at the request of the United States.

“The judges of the Supreme Court agree to dismiss the appeal and to confirm, for all legal purposes, the contested decision,” that is to say the ruling in favor of the extradition issued last year by the Court of Appeal of Barlavento, based in the northern island of St. Vincent, according to the ruling.

The high court said it “confirms the judicial authorization for the extradition of the petitioner (Saab) to the United States”.

The Supreme’s deliberation also considered that Cape Verde is not bound by the decisions of the Court of Justice of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), which last Monday ruled against the extradition of the alleged front man and ordered his immediate release.

Therefore, according to the Cape Verdean high court, the ECOWAS court’s ruling will not be accepted by the judicial authorities of this West African island country.

The 49-year-old Colombian was arrested on June 12th, 2020, when the plane in which he was traveling stopped for refueling at the Amilcar Cabral International Airport on the Cape Verdean island of Sal, following a U.S. request through Interpol for alleged money laundering.

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