The Venezuelan government has suspended mediation talks with opposition parties following the deportation of businessman Alex Chap to the United States on Saturday. Saab is a close confidante of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. He is due to appear in court for the first time on Monday on suspicion of corruption, embezzlement and embezzlement of millions of dollars. The opposition and the government have been negotiating in Mexico for months, led by Norwegian mediators, but the regime will no longer participate.

Chap was arrested in Cape Verde a year ago following a US arrest warrant. He would have landed there with his private plane to refuel on his way to Iran. As Venezuela’s representative, he continued to negotiate oil and gold agreements with other governments. Maduro is said to have been on a “humanitarian mission” to buy food and medicine, and has demanded his immediate release. (AB, Reuters)