Venezuela's Interim President Removes Alex Saab as Industry Minister
Venezuela's interim president, Delcy Rodríguez, has dismissed Alex Saab as minister of industry in a government reshuffle. The industry ministry will be merged with the commerce ministry. Saab, a close associate of ousted president Nicolás Maduro, was released from US custody in 2023 as part of a prisoner exchange and was appointed minister of industry in 2024. He was previously arrested in 2020 for allegedly acting as a front man for Maduro. The move comes amid US pressure following the January 3 military operation that led to Maduro's ouster. What implications might this have for Venezuela's government and relations with the US?