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Tarek William Saab

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This article is about the Venezuelan politician. For the Apprentice candidate Tarek Saab, see The Apprentice (U.S. season 5).
In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Saab and the second or maternal family name is Halabi.
Tarek William Saab
Prosecutor General of Venezuela
Incumbent
Assumed office
5 August 2017
Disputed with Luisa Ortega Díaz
Appointed byNational Constituent Assembly
Preceded byLuisa Ortega Díaz
President of the Republican Moral Council
Incumbent
Assumed office
16 December 2023
Preceded byElvis Amoroso
In office
1 January 2017 – 7 February 2019
Preceded byManuel Galindo Ballesteros
Succeeded byElvis Amoroso
In office
1 January 2015 – 1 January 2016
Preceded byLuisa Ortega Díaz
Succeeded byManuel Galindo Ballesteros
4th Ombudsman of Venezuela
In office
22 December 2014 – 5 August 2017
Preceded byGabriela Ramírez
Succeeded byAlfredo Ruiz
Governor of Anzoátegui
In office
31 October 2004 – 28 December 2012
Preceded byDavid De Lima
Succeeded byAristóbulo Istúriz
Deputy to the National Assembly
for Anzoátegui State
In office
30 July 2000 – 31 October 2004
Member of the Chamber of Deputies
for the Capital District
In office
23 January 1999 – 22 December 1999
Personal details
Born
Tarek William Saab Halabi

(1962-09-10) 10 September 1962 (age 62)
El Tigre, Anzoátegui, Venezuela
Political partyFifth Republic Movement (MVR) (before 2007)
United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) (from 2007)
Alma materCentral University of Venezuela
Universidad Santa María
ProfessionPolitician, lawyer, author

Tarek William Saab Halabi (Spanish pronunciation: [taˈɾek 'wiljam ˈsa:β], Arabic: طارق وليام صعب حلبي; born 10 September 1962) is a Venezuelan politician, lawyer, and poet. He was a leader of the Fifth Republic Movement (MVR) party founded by Hugo Chávez, President of Venezuela, who publicly called him "The poet of the revolution". He was the Governor of Anzoátegui from 2004 to 2012, and a member of the Committee for Justice and Truth since 2013. In December 2014, he was elected "People's Defender", or Ombudsman, by the National Assembly for 2014–2021 term. On 5 August 2017, the National Constituent Assembly appointed him as Attorney General in substitution of Luisa Ortega Diaz.[1]

Early life and education

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Tarek William Saab was born on 10 September 1962 into a family of Lebanese merchants. Saab began his Law School studies in 1985 in Santa Maria University, but for undisclosed reasons he did not graduate in the regular 5 years (his class was graduated in 1990), but graduated as an attorney in 1992.[citation needed]

Career

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After Hugo Chavez took office he was a member of the Constituent Assembly that drafted in 1999 the Constitution of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. In 2000, he was elected a member of the Venezuelan National Assembly.[citation needed]

During the coup d'état of April 2002, Saab was imprisoned by security forces after a crowd of protesters had gathered around Saab's home, threatening him and his family. He was held incommunicado for several hours.[2]

In October 2002, Saab was head of the foreign policy commission of Venezuela's National Assembly, and was refused an entry visa to the United States. Reuters reported that Saab told local television he had been denied the visa because a U.S. State Department report "identified him as 'an individual linked to international subversion'". According to Venezuela's El Universal, Saab said he been denied the visa because of alleged ties with international terrorist organizations, which he denied any association with.[3] Saab is an outspoken critic of Israel.[4] He is also a outspoken critic of the current president of Brazil and former political ally of Nicolas Maduro, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and the current president of Chile, Gabriel Boric after Lula and Boric openly criticized the transparency of the 2024 Venezuelan elections.[5]

Governor of Anzoátegui

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Anzoátegui State Governor Election, 2004 Results
Source: CNE data
Candidates Votes %
Tarek W. Saab 187,209 57%
Antonio Barreto 138,120 42%

Saab was elected Governor of Anzoátegui in the 2004 regional elections, and re-elected in 2008.

In 2005 Saab was accused by critics within his own party (MVR) of participating in electoral fraud in the primary elections for 2005 local elections.[6] His predecessor as governor of Anzoátegui, David de Lima, accused Saab of using his position for political persecution,[7][8] after Saab's wife accused De Lima of mismanagement.[9][10]

Ombudsman

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In 2014, Saab was elected to the post of ombudsman (Defensor del Pueblo) by the parliament, for a term of seven years, with opposition considering the election unlawful on procedural grounds.[citation needed] During the 2014 Venezuelan protests, Saab was criticized by the opposition because it believed he sided with the government during the protests. The Washington Post stated that the opposition viewed him as "an apologist for the unpopular government of President Nicolás Maduro".[11][12]

Attorney General

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On 5 August 2017 the National Constituent Assembly appointed him Attorney General[1] after former Prosecutor General Luisa Ortega Díaz was removed from office for allegedly being part of the "counterrevolution".[13] This occurred months after Saab stated himself that he had "no gut, no encouragement, no willingness to be Attorney General" and that he wanted to be Prosecutor "not yesterday, not today, not tomorrow".[14]

On 14 June 2018, the National Constituent Assembly appointed Saab as president of the Truth Commission, considering the appointment of the constituent Delcy Rodríguez as Venezuela's Vice-President.[15][16]

On 2 February 2023, the National Bolivarian Police of Nueva Esparta state arrested two men implicated in an assassination attempt on several high-ranking officials of the Public Prosecutor's Office, including Saab, whose foiled attempt had been ordered by Jhonatan Marín, a former mayor of Guanta municipality, accused of corruption in Venezuela and convicted of bribery in the United States.[17][18][19][20][21]

In April 2023, Saab said 51 people had been detained in connection with a corruption investigation at the state oil company PDVSA and the metal conglomerate Corporacion Venezolana de Guayana (CVG).[22]

During its 2023 annual report before the United Nations Human Rights Committee, experts questioned William Saab's independence. One of its members, Juan Manuel Santos Pais, remarked: "I have never seen a prosecutor defend a government so much."[23][24]

Sanctions

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In July 2017, the United States Treasury sanctioned thirteen senior officials of the Venezuelan government, including Saab, associated with the 2017 Venezuelan Constituent Assembly elections for what the Treasury describe as their role in undermining democracy and human rights.[25][26] Tarek William Saab has been sanctioned by several countries and is banned from entering neighboring Colombia. The Colombian government maintains a list of people banned from entering Colombia or subject to expulsion; as of January 2019, the list had 200 people with a "close relationship and support for the Nicolás Maduro regime".[27][28]

In September 2017 Canada sanctioned 40 Venezuelan officials, including Saab.[29][30] Canada said the sanctions were "in response to the government of Venezuela's deepening descent into dictatorship".[29] Canadians were banned from transactions with the 40 individuals, whose Canadian assets were frozen.[29]

On 18 January 2018, the European Union sanctioned seven Venezuela officials, including Saab, and accused them of human rights abuses or breaching the rule of law.[31] The sanctioned individuals were prohibited from entering the nations of the European Union, and their assets were frozen.[32]

In March 2018, Panama sanctioned 55 public officials, including Saab.[33]

On 20 April 2018, the Mexican Senate froze the assets of officials of the Maduro administration, including Saab, and prohibited them from entering Mexico.[34]

Literary work

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Tarek began writing poetry at the age of fourteen, when he studied at the Liceo Briceño Méndez in El Tigre, Anzoátegui, publishing poems in the Antorcha newspaper of that city. In the 1980s, his poems reached the pages of Papel Literario de El Nacional.[35] The influence of the American poets of the beat generation such as Jack Kerouac, Allen Ginsberg and the hippie counterculture movement were influential in the beginnings of Tarek William Saab's poetry, as were his readings of the German novelist Herman Hesse.[36]

In 1993 he was selected by a jury to represent Venezuela at the "Foro Literatura y Compromiso" (Literature and Commitment Forum) held in Mollina/Malaga (Spain).[37]

His book "Los Niños del Infortunio" was written after he was invited by Cuban President Fidel Castro, during an interview in Havana in 2005, to visit the Cuban medical mission in Pakistan. It was presented at the Cuban capital's book fair the following year, in the presence of Castro and Hugo Chávez. Chávez dubbed him "el poeta de la revolución" (the poet of the revolution).[38]

Books

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Saab has written numerous publications, including Los ríos de la Ira (1987), El Hacha de los Santos (1992), Príncipe de Lluvia y Duelo (1992), Al Fatah (México, 1994), Angel Caído Angel (1998), Cielo a Media Asta (2003), Cuando Pasen las Carretas (2003), Poemas selectos (Colombia, 2005), Los niños del infortunio (Cuba, 2006. China, 2007), Memorias de Gulan Rubani (Caracas, 2007), Un paisaje boreal (Valencia, 2008. Caracas, 2009), Hoguera de una adolescencia intemporal (Caracas, 2022).[39]

Notes

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  1. ^ a b "Venezuela's pro-government assembly fires dissident prosecutor". Reuters. 5 August 2017.
  2. ^ Tarek Saab detained by security forces, state.gov; accessed 8 July 2015.
  3. ^ Nacional y Política, eluniversal.com; accessed 8 July 2015.
  4. ^ Padgett, Tim (2009-01-18). "Latin America Looks for a Fresh Start with Obama". Time. ISSN 0040-781X. Retrieved 2019-05-03.
  5. ^ "Procurador-geral da Venezuela acusa Lula de ser agente da CIA: 'Não é o mesmo que saiu da prisão'". g1 (in Brazilian Portuguese). 2024-10-14. Retrieved 2024-10-26.
  6. ^ El Universal, "Chávez' MVR members report electoral fraud", eluniversal.com; 19 April 2005.
  7. ^ Daily News, eluniversal.com, 10 October 2005.
  8. ^ Daily News, eluniversal.com. 11 October 2005.
  9. ^ El Tiempo - El Periódico del Pueblo Oriental, eltiempo.com.ve; accessed 7 July 2015.
  10. ^ TSJ Regiones - Decisión Archived 2012-02-24 at the Wayback Machine, vargas.tsj.gov.ve, February 2005.
  11. ^ "Venezuela crisis: Son criticises rights ombudsman father in video". BBC News. 27 April 2017. Retrieved 27 April 2017.
  12. ^ Miroff, Nick (27 April 2017). "A top Venezuelan official's son makes video plea for his dad to 'end the injustice'". The Washington Post. Retrieved 27 April 2017.
  13. ^ "Diosdado asegura que Fiscal General fue removida por ser un apéndice de la "contrarrevolución"". La Patilla (in European Spanish). 7 August 2017. Retrieved 7 August 2017.
  14. ^ "El día en que Tarek William Saab dijo que jamás sería fiscal general (Video)". La Patilla (in European Spanish). 7 August 2017. Retrieved 7 August 2017.
  15. ^ "ANC designa al Presidente de la Comisión para la Verdad, la Justicia, la Paz y la Tranquilidad Pública - Legis". www.legis.com.ve. Retrieved 2023-02-10.
  16. ^ "William Saab fue designado por ANC Presidente de la comisión de la verdad | Infoenlace.net" (in Spanish). 2018-06-20. Retrieved 2023-02-10.
  17. ^ "Ex aliado de Chávez condenado a la cárcel en Miami". AP NEWS. 2022-10-26. Retrieved 2023-02-10.
  18. ^ "Exalcalde chavista Jhonnathan Marín condenado a 27 meses de cárcel en Miami". Voz de América (in Spanish). Retrieved 2023-02-10.
  19. ^ "Detenidos dos hombres por un presunto atentado contra el fiscal de Venezuela". SWI swissinfo.ch (in Spanish). Retrieved 2023-02-10.
  20. ^ "Detenidos dos hombres por presunto intento de atentado contra el Fiscal Tarek William Saab". Noticiero Venevisión. Retrieved 2023-02-10.
  21. ^ "Dos sujetos investigados por atentado contra el Fiscal General de la República fueron detenidos | Doble Llave" (in Spanish). 2023-02-05. Retrieved 2023-02-10.
  22. ^ Armas, Mayela; Buitrago, Deisy (2023-04-05). "Arrests in Venezuela probe of oil company PDVSA climb to 34". Reuters. Retrieved 2023-05-07.
  23. ^ Rosas | @ronnyrodriguez, Ronny Rodríguez (2023-10-12). "Comité de DDHH de la ONU cuestiona a Tarek William Saab". Efecto Cocuyo (in Spanish). Retrieved 2023-10-13.
  24. ^ Fermin, Yeannaly (2023-10-11). ""Jamás he visto a un fiscal que defienda tanto a un gobierno": Saab salió con las tablas en la cabeza de la ONU". Runrunes (in Spanish). Retrieved 2024-03-11.
  25. ^ Lane, Sylvan and Rafael Bernal (26 July 2017). "Treasury sanctions target Venezuela president's allies". The Hill. Retrieved 3 April 2019.
  26. ^ "Treasury Sanctions 13 Current and Former Senior Officials of the Government of Venezuela" (Press release). U.S. Department of the Treasury. 26 July 2017. Retrieved 3 April 2019.
  27. ^ "Maduro encabeza lista de 200 venezolanos que no pueden entrar al país" [Maduro tops list of 200 Venezuelans who can not enter the country]. El Tiempo (in Spanish). 30 January 2019. Retrieved 13 April 2019.
  28. ^ "Primera parte de lista de colaboradores de Maduro que no pueden ingresar a Colombia" [First part of list of Maduro collaborators who can not enter Colombia] (in Spanish). RCN Radio. 31 January 2019. Retrieved 13 April 2019.
  29. ^ a b c "Canada imposes sanctions on key Venezuelan officials". CBC Canada. Thomson Reuters. 22 September 2017. Retrieved 3 April 2019.
  30. ^ Zilio, Michelle (22 September 2017). "Canada sanctions 40 Venezuelans with links to political, economic crisis". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 3 April 2019. Also at Punto de Corte and El Nacional
  31. ^ "Quiénes son los 7 funcionarios de Venezuela sancionados por la Unión Europea y de qué se les acusa". BBC Mundo (in Spanish). 22 January 2018. Retrieved 3 April 2019.
  32. ^ "EU imposes sanctions on 7 senior Venezuelan officials". Associated Press. 22 January 2018. Retrieved 2 April 2019.
  33. ^ "Los 55 funcionarios sancionados por Panamá por 'blanqueo de capitales'". El Nacional (in Spanish). 30 March 2018. Retrieved 3 April 2019. Also at Panama Economic and Finance Ministry Archived 2019-04-05 at the Wayback Machine
  34. ^ "México rechaza elecciones en Venezuela y sanciona a siete funcionarios". Sumarium group (in Spanish). Retrieved 21 April 2018.[permanent dead link‍] Also at VPITV
  35. ^ Miope, El (2016-06-26). "Tarek William Saab: "Ser poeta me ha hecho una bisagra para el entendimiento"". El Miope (in Spanish). Retrieved 2023-02-10.
  36. ^ Informe25.com, Publicado por. "Tarek William Saab: "La política es dinámica y nosotros nos crecemos en las dificultades"". Retrieved 2023-02-10.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  37. ^ "Tarek William Saab, poesía sin músculo | Clímax". elestimulo.com (in Spanish). 2016-07-06. Retrieved 2023-02-10.
  38. ^ "Tarek W. Saab. El poeta chavista". El Universal (in Spanish). 2017-08-06. Retrieved 2023-02-10.
  39. ^ Tarek William Saab profile, analitica.com; accessed 7 July 2015.
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