Biden’s exchange of prisoners is a disrespect to Venezuela’s hungry population

The United States released Alex Saab, a notorious associate of Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro, Wednesday in exchange for 10 American prisoners.

While the Biden administration said the prisoner swap was a “difficult decision,” Saab’s release not only represents a major concession to South America’s only dictatorship — it betrays America’s commitment to human rights and democracy in the region and shows a complete disregard for Venezuela’s democratic opposition.

Saab, ludicrously designated a “diplomat” by the Maduro regime, is no common criminal.

In 2011, he began a lucrative relationship with the Hugo Chávez regime, one that grew significantly in closeness, magnitude and ugliness.

His multimillion-dollar corrupt dealings with Chávez and successor Maduro reached record levels in 2016.

When Venezuelans were starving and leaving the country by the millions, he stole millions of dollars by overcharging the regime for food shipments for the poor.

Eventually, Saab became more than a corrupt partner: He became the Chavista dictatorship’s prime money-launderer and sanctions-evading mastermind.

He set up a network of shell companies abroad and helped move Venezuelan gold into the black market, illicitly enriching himself.

In doing so, he allowed Maduro’s murderous, corrupt gang to avoid any accountability and continue to plunder Venezuela and its people.

After being charged with money-laundering in the United States, Italy and Colombia, Saab was finally arrested in Cape Verde — at a fuel stop for a flight from Venezuela to Iran — and extradited to America in 2020, where he was held until this week.

Saab’s arrest gave millions of Venezuelans hope that some ounce of accountability was possible.

It also made the regime furious — a man who kept their wallets full and their secrets safe now had to face the justice system of a democratic country.

Saab’s release is undoubtedly a major victory for the autocrats in Caracas and a slap in the face to those longing for a peaceful democratic transition in Venezuela.

And the timing of this prisoner swap couldn’t be worse for the Venezuelan opposition.

After several months of negotiations, the United States started gradually lifting sanctions on Venezuela with one key stipulation: The 2024 general election must be free and fair.

Shortly after the Biden administration announced the easing of sanctions in October, however, the Maduro-controlled judiciary declared the opposition’s primary election invalid, prosecuting and arresting the opposition leaders who organized it.

And the judiciary upheld a 15-year ban on holding office it had imposed this year on Maria Corina Machado, a popular opposition leader elected as the unity candidate.

Even after Maduro’s regime violated the most crucial parts of the agreement, the Biden team inexplicably and publicly praised it for taking positive steps toward free and fair elections. 

It was only days later that Saab was allowed to return to Venezuela.

Venezuelans have suffered immensely under Maduro’s dictatorship, as he and his cronies have consolidated both a reign of terror and a massive criminal enterprise.

No democracy advocate, inside or outside the country, is under the illusion that a transition from this regime will be anything but a monumental task.

What we all agree on, though, is that hope for democracy depends entirely on solidarity.

The support of a powerful democratic neighbor like the United States is crucial, but democratic leaders around the world must recognize and hold to account the Maduro regime’s crimes and abuses.

And other democracies should take action against the criminals who ransacked the country and use loopholes in the international financial system to keep the regime afloat.

The democratic world has witnessed a masterclass on how not to deal with a tyrant.

History has shown us time and again that dictators cannot be trusted to keep their word.

For the sake of Venezuela’s future, let’s hope other democratic leaders can learn the lesson before it’s too late.

Alvaro Piaggio is a senior policy officer for the Americas at the Human Rights Foundation.