Alex Saab, alleged front man for Nicolás Maduro, asks to limit video hearings in the United States.

Colombian businessman Alex Saab, alleged front man of the illegitimate Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and accused of laundering hundreds of millions of dollars from corrupt businesses with the government of that country, does not want to be seen in a prison suit for what he asked of a federal judge limiting video access to hearings.

In a 12-page motion, Saab’s defense assured that the Colombian businessman “It is not seeking to eliminate public access, which is a constitutional right, but is asking the court to play a gatekeeper role to prevent further violations of regulations”That prohibit photos or videos in court hearings.

What he is looking for is that only a handful of accredited journalists can access the hearings that are broadcast by Zoom, along with lawyers and family members, and that the rest of the public and the media do so by telephone. Your next hearing is November 1, where you can plead guilty or not guilty.

Saab had its first Zoom hearing last week before the magistrate John O’Sullivan, who notified him that he faces eight charges of conspiracy to launder money and money laundering. More than 300 people participated in the hearing, including lawyers, the judge, prosecutors, and also journalists, activists, and opponents of the Venezuelan government.

The 49-year-old businessman was extradited last week after spending 16 months under arrest in Cape Verde, where he was detained in June 2020.

The United States prosecutors allege that Saab he has amassed a fortune of more than US $ 350 million through corrupt deals in which he would have bribed Venezuelan officials and falsified documents to obtain multi-million dollar contracts to build affordable housing in Venezuela.

In a letter his wife read after his extradition, Saab He affirmed that he has not committed any crime and that he will not collaborate with Washington.

The Colombian connected to the hearing last week from a room in the federal prison where he is being held in the United States. He was alone, sitting behind a table, dressed in an orange prison suit. She wore her neck-length dark hair and a mask. His words were not heard as there was only audio in English for the translator, who simultaneously interpreted what he said.

After describing it as a “Venezuelan diplomat” and “a polarizing figure in the world arena”, The defense explained in the motion that the Saab case has attracted the attention of the media around the world.

Among the participants, “many, or perhaps most of them, were members of the press covering the Saab case“, Others were bloggers or people”eager to post photos or videos” from Saabsaid the lawyer Henry Bell.

At the hearing the judge reminded the participants that according to the law it is strictly forbidden to record or take photos or videos of parts or all of the hearings. However, Saab’s defense alleged, “dozens of media and others ignored court instructions and took photos and videos of Mr. Saab’s first appearance”Before the courts.

To substantiate your claim, Bell presented a list that includes at least 35 posts on Twitter, Instagram and other media of photos and videos of Saab in that first hearing.

“The court should not allow such challenging behaviors and act to ensure that they do not happen again.”Said the lawyer.

“Although the reality associated with the COVID-19 pandemic has forced the courts to perform some procedures through Zoom, it cannot be ignored or violated.“The laws, said the defense of Saab.

After a lengthy explanation, the defense asked the judge to limit Zoom’s access to “only the necessary parties, the family of the accused and accredited journalistic organizations”. The public should have access, he added, only through the phone.