Venezuelan-linked businessman and former official
Alex Saab has been deported to the United States and is facing a money-laundering charge connected to a long-running bribery scheme tied to Maduro-era contracts. The new Venezuelan leadership is pursuing insider figures, with ongoing investigations touching CLAP program and oil deals.
Spain's National Court has widened its probe into the 2021 €53m Plus Ultra bailout and has searched former prime minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero's Madrid office. Zapatero has been summoned to testify on June 2 and has denied receiving payments as investigators examine alleged kickbacks and improper lobbying tied to the airline's rescue.
Colombia has been casting ballots in the first round of its presidential election, a vote seen as a referendum on Gustavo Petro’s peace-and-justice agenda. The race has narrowed to three main contenders as armed groups and rival candidates press hard on security, justice and peace, while attacks and violence persist in several regions.
The Miami judge has issued a default judgment against Maduro, Saab and others for failing to respond to a civil action tied to alleged torture and a network dubbed the Cartel of the Suns. The actions seek damages under the Anti-Terrorism Act as Americans sue Venezuelan officials over imprisonment and abuse. A related ruling targets the group’s leaders as part of ongoing accountability efforts.