Connection to Saab is now a liability, not an asset
En el Venezuela que emerge tras la caída de Maduro, el gobierno interino de Delcy Rodríguez ha comenzado a desmantelar los vínculos visibles con el antiguo régimen, separando esta semana a Camilla Fabri —esposa del empresario colombiano Alex Saab, señalado durante años como operador financiero de Maduro— de su cargo como viceministra de Comunicación Internacional. El gesto, formulado con cortesía institucional, revela una verdad más profunda: en el nuevo orden que Washington contribuye a moldear, la proximidad al círculo íntimo de Maduro ha dejado de ser un activo para convertirse en una carga.
- Con Maduro detenido desde el 3 de enero y enfrentando cargos de narcotráfico en Nueva York, el gobierno interino siente la presión de Washington para cortar lazos con figuras del antiguo régimen.
- Camilla Fabri, que se convirtió en una de las voces más visibles durante el encarcelamiento de su esposo en Estados Unidos, fue removida de su cargo en una reestructuración presentada con lenguaje diplomático pero de significado inequívoco.
- Alex Saab —quien regresó a Venezuela en octubre de 2024 mediante un canje de prisioneros y fue integrado al gabinete de Maduro— fue separado de sus funciones ministeriales en enero, el mismo mes en que el régimen colapsó.
- Reportes recientes sobre una posible captura de Saab fueron desmentidos por fuentes anónimas, pero su paradero real sigue siendo incierto, añadiendo una capa de ambigüedad al escenario político.
- La salida de Fabri señala que el gobierno interino está trazando una línea entre el pasado y el presente, aunque la frontera entre ambos continúa siendo porosa y negociada.
Camilla Fabri ya no forma parte del gobierno interino de Venezuela. Esta semana, la presidenta interina Delcy Rodríguez anunció una reestructuración de su gabinete en la que Fabri fue separada del cargo de viceministra de Comunicación Internacional. En un breve comunicado, Rodríguez agradeció su gestión y nombró a Rander Peña como su sucesor.
El contexto lo explica todo. El 3 de enero, Maduro fue arrestado en lo que el gobierno describe como una operación militar estadounidense. Ese mismo día, Rodríguez asumió el control interino del país. Maduro y su esposa, Cilia Flores, enfrentan ahora cargos de narcotráfico en Nueva York.
Alex Saab, esposo de Fabri, es una figura central en esta historia. Empresario colombiano que construyó su fortuna dentro del aparato estatal venezolano —primero bajo Chávez, luego bajo Maduro—, gestionó redes de importación y supervisó el programa de subsidios alimentarios CLAP, señalado repetidamente por corrupción. Detenido en Cabo Verde en 2020 y extraditado a Estados Unidos en 2021, regresó a Venezuela en octubre de 2024 mediante un canje de prisioneros y fue incorporado al gabinete como ministro de Industria. Cuatro meses después, fue removido del cargo.
Su paradero actual es incierto. Aunque medios estadounidenses reportaron su captura, una fuente anónima cercana al caso indicó a la AFP que Saab se encontraba en su domicilio.
La salida de Fabri, aunque envuelta en fórmulas de cortesía, transmite un mensaje claro: en la Venezuela que intenta recomponerse bajo presión de Washington, la cercanía al círculo de Maduro ha dejado de ser una credencial para convertirse en un obstáculo.
Camilla Fabri is no longer part of Venezuela's interim government. The wife of Alex Saab, a businessman long accused of serving as a financial proxy for Nicolás Maduro, was removed from her cabinet position this week as interim president Delcy Rodríguez undertook a restructuring of her administration. In a brief statement, Rodríguez thanked Fabri for her work and announced that Rander Peña would assume the role of Vice Minister for International Communication—the position Fabri had held.
The timing is significant. Rodríguez assumed temporary control of Venezuela on January 3rd, the same day Maduro was arrested during what the government describes as a U.S. military operation. His wife, Cilia Flores, was also taken into custody. Both now face drug trafficking charges in New York, where Maduro has claimed the status of a prisoner of war.
Alex Saab's own trajectory illuminates why his wife's removal matters. A Colombian businessman, Saab built his fortune in Venezuela's state apparatus, beginning under Hugo Chávez and deepening his ties under Maduro. He managed vast import networks for the government and oversaw procurement for CLAP, the state food subsidy program—an initiative that has drawn repeated accusations of corruption. In 2020, Cape Verde authorities detained him; the following year, the United States extradited him to face charges. Venezuela's government at the time denounced the extradition as a kidnapping and cast Saab as a national hero. His wife became one of his most visible advocates during his imprisonment.
But the story did not end there. In October 2024, Saab returned to Venezuela as part of a prisoner exchange with the United States. He was immediately integrated into Maduro's government, taking on the role of Minister of Industry while also handling international investment matters. Four months later, in January, he was removed from those duties—the same month Maduro fell from power.
Early this month, American media outlets reported that Saab had been captured. An anonymous source familiar with the case told the AFP that the businessman was actually at home. His current whereabouts and status remain unclear, though his absence from the interim government is now official.
The cabinet reshuffle reflects the pressure Washington is applying to Venezuela's transitional leadership. With Maduro and Flores in U.S. custody facing serious charges, the interim government appears to be distancing itself from figures associated with the former regime's alleged corruption and drug networks. Fabri's removal, though presented in courteous language, signals that connection to Saab—and by extension to Maduro's inner circle—is now a liability rather than an asset in the new Venezuela taking shape.
Citas Notables
We thank Camilla Fabri de Saab for her performance leading this office— Interim President Delcy Rodríguez, in official statement
La Conversación del Hearth Otra perspectiva de la historia
Why remove Fabri now, when the interim government is still finding its footing?
Because Washington is watching. With Maduro in custody facing drug charges, the interim government has to show it's breaking with the past, not protecting it. Keeping Saab's wife in a visible role would send the wrong signal.
But Fabri herself wasn't accused of anything specific, was she?
No direct charges that I can see. But she's married to a man the U.S. views as central to Maduro's financial machinery. In a transition, guilt by association becomes a political liability.
What's the real story with Saab? Is he captured or not?
That's the puzzle. American media said he was arrested, but sources say he's at home. Either way, he's been sidelined from government. The uncertainty itself is telling—he's radioactive now.
How did he go from prisoner to minister to cast-off in just a few months?
The prisoner exchange in October was meant to show good faith between the U.S. and Maduro. But once Maduro fell in January, Saab became a symbol of everything the interim government wants to distance itself from. His usefulness evaporated.
Does this mean Fabri will face charges?
Not necessarily. This looks more like a political housecleaning than a legal proceeding. The interim government is signaling compliance with U.S. pressure by removing people tied to the old regime's networks.