U.S. authorities have taken Alvaro Pulido into custody, ending a years-long manhunt for the Colombian businessman accused of orchestrating a bribery scheme involving high-ranking Venezuelan officials. Pulido had been indicted in federal court in Miami in 2019 and again in 2021 as part of an investigation into his longtime partner, Alex Saab.
Nicole Navas Oxman, a spokesperson for the Homeland Security Task Force, confirmed that the arrest resulted from a collaborative investigation led by the DEA, the FBI, and Homeland Security Investigations. While details regarding how Pulido came into U.S. custody were not disclosed, Oxman stated that the businessman is scheduled for an initial court appearance in Miami on Tuesday.
Pulido faces allegations that he and Saab utilized a network of offshore shell companies to funnel bribes to allies of former President Nicolás Maduro. In return, the pair secured lucrative contracts to import essential goods, including food, medicine, and materials for low-cost housing, during a period of severe economic hardship in Venezuela.
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the State Department had previously offered a reward of up to $10 million for information leading to Pulido’s arrest. The case is closely linked to Saab, who was deported to the United States by Venezuelan Acting President Delcy Rodríguez in May. Last month, Saab pleaded guilty in a related bribery case, agreeing to cooperate with prosecutors against Maduro and others while forfeiting $195 million in proceeds from the alleged corruption scheme.
Pulido was previously arrested in Venezuela in 2023 during a crackdown on corruption within the state-owned oil company PDVSA, which was overseen by Rodríguez when she served as Maduro’s vice president. The current arrest presents a delicate political challenge for Rodríguez, who must balance domestic pressures from factions within the ruling coalition urging resistance to U.S. law enforcement actions against the need to maintain credibility.
Venezuelan authorities have remained silent on the matter thus far. Maduro was ousted from power by a U.S. military operation in January, after which Rodríguez assumed the role of acting president.
Venezuela staying silent is telling. They know this makes them look weak while the US keeps pushing.
I thought Saab was the big fish here. How does Pulido’s capture change the case against Maduro personally?
Does anyone else find it ironic they’re arresting business partners now? Seems like everyone is running for cover.
Another win against the Maduro regime. The $10 million bounty really did the trick, finally.