Tarek William Saab

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|date=July 2015}}

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|date=July 2015}}

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.[https://2001-2009.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2002/18348.htm Tarek Saab detained by security forces], state.gov; accessed 8 July 2015.

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.[http://buscador.eluniversal.com/2002/10/03/pol_art_03106EE.shtml Nacional y Política], eluniversal.com; accessed 8 July 2015. Saab is an outspoken critic of Israel.{{Cite magazine |last=Padgett |first=Tim |date=2009-01-18 |title=Latin America Looks for a Fresh Start with Obama |url=http://content.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1871986,00.html |magazine=Time |language=en-US |issn=0040-781X |access-date=2019-05-03}} 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.{{cite web|url=https://g1.globo.com/mundo/noticia/2024/10/14/procurador-geral-da-venezuela-acusa-lula-de-ser-agente-da-cia-nao-e-o-mesmo-que-saiu-da-prisao.ghtml|title=Procurador-geral da Venezuela acusa Lula de ser agente da CIA: 'Não é o mesmo que saiu da prisão'|website=g1|date=2024-10-14|access-date=2024-10-26|language=pt-br}}

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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.El Universal, [http://buscador.eluniversal.com/2005/04/19/en_pol_art_19A552725.shtml "Chávez' MVR members report electoral fraud"], eluniversal.com; 19 April 2005. His predecessor as governor of Anzoátegui, David de Lima, accused Saab of using his position for political persecution,[http://buscador.eluniversal.com/2005/10/10/en_pol_art_10A618655.shtml Daily News], eluniversal.com, 10 October 2005.[http://buscador.eluniversal.com/2005/10/11/en_pol_art_11A618937.shtml Daily News], eluniversal.com. 11 October 2005. after Saab's wife accused De Lima of mismanagement.[http://www.eltiempo.com.ve/noticias/default.asp?id=69327 El Tiempo - El Periódico del Pueblo Oriental], eltiempo.com.ve; accessed 7 July 2015.[http://vargas.tsj.gov.ve/decisiones/2005/febrero/1035-17-BP01-R-2005-001-.html TSJ Regiones - Decisión] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120224074248/http://vargas.tsj.gov.ve/decisiones/2005/febrero/1035-17-BP01-R-2005-001-.html |date=2012-02-24 }}, vargas.tsj.gov.ve, February 2005.

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|date=July 2023}} 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".{{cite news|title=Venezuela crisis: Son criticises rights ombudsman father in video|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-39731693|access-date=27 April 2017|work=BBC News|date=27 April 2017}}{{cite news|last1=Miroff|first1=Nick|title= A top Venezuelan official's son makes video plea for his dad to 'end the injustice'|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2017/04/27/a-top-venezuelan-officials-son-makes-video-plea-for-his-dad-to-end-the-injustice/|access-date=27 April 2017|newspaper=The Washington Post|date=27 April 2017}}

On 5 August 2017 the National Constituent Assembly appointed him Attorney General after former Prosecutor General Luisa Ortega Díaz was removed from office for allegedly being part of the "counterrevolution".{{cite news|title=Diosdado asegura que Fiscal General fue removida por ser un apéndice de la "contrarrevolución"|url=http://www.lapatilla.com/site/2017/08/07/diosdado-asegura-que-fiscal-general-fue-removida-por-ser-un-apendice-de-la-contrarrevolucion/|access-date=7 August 2017|work=La Patilla|date=7 August 2017|language=es-ES}} 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".{{cite news|title=El día en que Tarek William Saab dijo que jamás sería fiscal general (Video)|url=http://www.lapatilla.com/site/2017/08/07/el-dia-en-que-tarek-william-saab-dijo-que-jamas-seria-fiscal-general-video/|access-date=7 August 2017|work=La Patilla|date=7 August 2017|language=es-ES}}

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.{{Cite web |title=ANC designa al Presidente de la Comisión para la Verdad, la Justicia, la Paz y la Tranquilidad Pública - Legis |url=http://www.legis.com.ve/BancoConocimiento/N/nota_22-06-2018-3/nota_22-06-2018-3.asp?Miga=1&CodSeccion=25 |access-date=2023-02-10 |website=www.legis.com.ve}}{{Cite web |date=2018-06-20 |title=William Saab fue designado por ANC Presidente de la comisión de la verdad {{!}} Infoenlace.net |url=http://infoenlace.net/?p=33484 |access-date=2023-02-10 |language=es}}

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.{{Cite web |date=2022-10-26 |title=Ex aliado de Chávez condenado a la cárcel en Miami |url=https://apnews.com/article/noticias-28031012f2e41b39b87cee688627d0a0 |access-date=2023-02-10 |website=AP NEWS |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Exalcalde chavista Jhonnathan Marín condenado a 27 meses de cárcel en Miami |url=https://www.vozdeamerica.com/a/exaliado-de-chavez-jhonnathan-marin-condenado-a-27-meses-de-carcel-en-miami/6806720.html |access-date=2023-02-10 |website=Voz de América |language=es}}{{Cite web |title=Detenidos dos hombres por un presunto atentado contra el fiscal de Venezuela |url=https://www.swissinfo.ch/spa/venezuela-detenciones_detenidos-dos-hombres-por-un-presunto-atentado-contra-el-fiscal-de-venezuela/48255480 |access-date=2023-02-10 |website=SWI swissinfo.ch |language=es}}{{Cite web |title=Detenidos dos hombres por presunto intento de atentado contra el Fiscal Tarek William Saab |url=https://www.noticierovenevision.net/noticias/nacional/detenidos-dos-hombres-por-presunto-intento-de-atentado-contra-tarek-william-saab |access-date=2023-02-10 |website=Noticiero Venevisión |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=2023-02-05 |title=Dos sujetos investigados por atentado contra el Fiscal General de la República fueron detenidos {{!}} Doble Llave |url=https://doblellave.com/dos-sujetos-investigados-por-atentado-contra-el-fiscal-general-de-la-republica-fueron-detenidos/ |access-date=2023-02-10 |language=es}}

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).{{Cite news |last=Armas |first=Mayela |last2=Buitrago |first2=Deisy |date=2023-04-05 |title=Arrests in Venezuela probe of oil company PDVSA climb to 34 |language=en |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/arrests-venezuela-probe-oil-company-pdvsa-climb-34-2023-04-05/ |access-date=2023-05-07}}

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."{{cite web |access-date=2023-10-13 |date=2023-10-12 |first=Ronny Rodríguez |language=es |last=Rosas {{!}} @ronnyrodriguez |title=Comité de DDHH de la ONU cuestiona a Tarek William Saab |url=http://efectococuyo.com/la-humanidad/comite-de-ddhh-de-la-onu-cuestiona-a-tarek-william-saab/ |website=Efecto Cocuyo}}{{cite web |access-date=2024-03-11 |date=2023-10-11 |first=Yeannaly |language=es |last=Fermin |title=“Jamás he visto a un fiscal que defienda tanto a un gobierno”: Saab salió con las tablas en la cabeza de la ONU |url=https://runrun.es/noticias/510384/jamas-he-visto-a-un-fiscal-que-defienda-tanto-a-un-gobierno-saab-salio-con-las-tablas-en-la-cabeza-de-la-onu/ |website=Runrunes}}

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.{{cite web |url= https://thehill.com/policy/finance/343925-treasury-targets-13-venezuelan-officials-with-economic-sanctions |work= The Hill |date= 26 July 2017 |access-date= 3 April 2019 |title= Treasury sanctions target Venezuela president's allies |author= Lane, Sylvan and Rafael Bernal }}{{cite press release |url= https://www.treasury.gov/press-center/press-releases/Pages/sm0132.aspx |title= Treasury Sanctions 13 Current and Former Senior Officials of the Government of Venezuela |date= 26 July 2017 |access-date= 3 April 2019 |publisher= U.S. Department of the Treasury}}

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".{{cite news |url= https://www.eltiempo.com/politica/gobierno/colombia-prohibe-el-ingreso-al-pais-a-200-personas-cercanas-a-maduro-320994 |work= El Tiempo |language= es | access-date= 13 April 2019 | title= Maduro encabeza lista de 200 venezolanos que no pueden entrar al país |date= 30 January 2019 |trans-title= Maduro tops list of 200 Venezuelans who can not enter the country}}{{cite web |url= https://www.rcnradio.com/colombia/primera-parte-de-lista-de-colaboradores-de-maduro-que-no-pueden-ingresar-colombia |publisher= RCN Radio |language = es |access-date= 13 April 2019 |title= Primera parte de lista de colaboradores de Maduro que no pueden ingresar a Colombia |date= 31 January 2019 |trans-title= First part of list of Maduro collaborators who can not enter Colombia}}

In September 2017 Canada sanctioned 40 Venezuelan officials, including Saab.{{cite news |url= https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/canada-venezuela-sanctions-1.4303663 |work= CBC Canada |date= 22 September 2017 |publisher= Thomson Reuters |access-date= 3 April 2019 |title= Canada imposes sanctions on key Venezuelan officials}}{{cite news |url= https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/canada-sanctions-40-venezuelans-with-links-to-political-economic-crisis/article36367074/ |work= The Globe and Mail |title= Canada sanctions 40 Venezuelans with links to political, economic crisis |author= Zilio, Michelle |date= 22 September 2017 |access-date= 3 April 2019}} Also at [http://puntodecorte.com/esta-la-lista-los-funcionarios-venezolanos-sancionados-canada/ Punto de Corte] and [http://www.el-nacional.com/noticias/mundo/canada-sanciona-nicolas-maduro-funcionarios-venezolanos_204786 El Nacional] Canada said the sanctions were "in response to the government of Venezuela's deepening descent into dictatorship". Canadians were banned from transactions with the 40 individuals, whose Canadian assets were frozen.

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.{{cite news |url= http://www.bbc.com/mundo/noticias-america-latina-42774732 |work= BBC Mundo |date= 22 January 2018 |access-date= 3 April 2019 |title= Quiénes son los 7 funcionarios de Venezuela sancionados por la Unión Europea y de qué se les acusa |language= es}} The sanctioned individuals were prohibited from entering the nations of the European Union, and their assets were frozen.{{cite news |url= https://www.apnews.com/7fbf5b3f94a94a838d165937caaf2054 |work= Associated Press |date= 22 January 2018 |access-date= 2 April 2019 |title= EU imposes sanctions on 7 senior Venezuelan officials}}

In March 2018, Panama sanctioned 55 public officials, including Saab.{{cite news |url= http://www.el-nacional.com/noticias/mundo/los-funcionarios-sancionados-por-panama-por-blanqueo-capitales_228903 |work= El Nacional |language= es |date= 30 March 2018 |title= Los 55 funcionarios sancionados por Panamá por 'blanqueo de capitales' |access-date= 3 April 2019 }} Also at [https://www.mef.gob.pa/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Comunicado-002-2018.pdf Panama Economic and Finance Ministry] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190405215206/https://www.mef.gob.pa/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Comunicado-002-2018.pdf |date=2019-04-05 }}

On 20 April 2018, the Mexican Senate froze the assets of officials of the Maduro administration, including Saab, and prohibited them from entering Mexico.{{cite news|work= Sumarium group|title= México rechaza elecciones en Venezuela y sanciona a siete funcionarios|url= http://sumarium.com/mexico-rechaza-elecciones-en-venezuela-y-sanciona-a-siete-funcionarios/|access-date= 21 April 2018|language= es}}{{Dead link|date=October 2022 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} Also at [https://www.vpitv.com/venezuela/senado-mexicano-aprueba-acuerdo-en-rechazo-a-las-elecciones-en-venezuela/ VPITV]

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.{{Cite web |last=Miope |first=El |date=2016-06-26 |title=Tarek William Saab: “Ser poeta me ha hecho una bisagra para el entendimiento” |url=https://elmiope.com/2016/06/26/tarek-william-saab-ser-poeta-me-ha-hecho-una-bisagra-para-el-entendimiento/ |access-date=2023-02-10 |website=El Miope |language=es}} 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.{{Cite web |last=Informe25.com |first=Publicado por |title=Tarek William Saab: “La política es dinámica y nosotros nos crecemos en las dificultades” |url=https://www.noticiascandela.informe25.com/2010/10/tarek-william-saab-la-politica-es.html |access-date=2023-02-10}}

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).{{Cite web |date=2016-07-06 |title=Tarek William Saab, poesía sin músculo {{!}} Clímax |url=https://elestimulo.com/climax/entrevista/2016-07-06/tarek-william-saab-poesia-sin-musculo/ |access-date=2023-02-10 |website=elestimulo.com |language=es}}

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).{{Cite web |date=2017-08-06 |title=Tarek W. Saab. El poeta chavista |url=https://www.eluniversal.com.mx/articulo/mundo/2017/08/6/tarek-w-saab-el-poeta-chavista |access-date=2023-02-10 |website=El Universal |language=es}}

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).[http://www.analitica.com/Bitblio/tarek Tarek William Saab profile], analitica.com; accessed 7 July 2015.

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• [http://www.cne.gob.ve/regionales2004/2/gobernadordis=0&edo=2&mun=0&par=0&cen=0&mesa=0&cua=0.html Anzoátegui State Governor Election, 2004 Results], cne.gob.ve; accessed 7 July 2015.

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{{Crisis in Venezuela|state=collapsed}}

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Category:1962 births

Category:Anti-Zionism in South America

Category:21st-century Venezuelan poets

Category:Fifth Republic Movement politicians

Category:Governors of Anzoátegui

Category:Living people

Category:Members of the National Assembly (Venezuela)

Category:Ombudsmen

Category:People from El Tigre

Category:United Socialist Party of Venezuela politicians

Category:20th-century Venezuelan lawyers

Category:Venezuelan male poets

Category:Universidad Santa María (Venezuela) alumni

Category:People of the Crisis in Venezuela

Category:Venezuelan people of Lebanese descent

Category:Venezuelan Buddhists

Category:Members of the Venezuelan Constituent Assembly of 1999