CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — In a surprising development, Venezuela’s chief prosecutor stepped down from his position Wednesday only to be immediately named as the country’s acting human rights ombudsman by lawmakers.
Tarek William Saab, who has served as a key figure in the government’s enforcement actions and maintained close ties to former President Nicolás Maduro, tendered his resignation to the National Assembly controlled by the ruling party without providing any explanation for his departure. Saab has overseen the prosecutor’s office since 2017, facing ongoing allegations of human rights abuses throughout his tenure.
The resignation marks another shift in government leadership following the dramatic January 3 arrest of Maduro by U.S. military forces in Caracas.
Lawmakers moved quickly to install Saab in the ombudsman position on an interim basis, where he will serve until a committee selects a permanent successor to Alfredo Ruiz. Ruiz, who had occupied the ombudsman role since 2017, stepped down citing “personal, family, and health reasons that I must attend to.” The ombudsman office focuses on promoting, defending and overseeing human rights protections.
These leadership changes come amid increased examination of both offices after acting President Delcy Rodríguez made decisions last month to free individuals imprisoned for political reasons and advance amnesty legislation, which became law last week.
Rodríguez’s actions have sparked small protests and public discussions that have highlighted issues including fabricated charges, delayed prosecutions and other mistreatment of actual and suspected government critics.
“His departure as Attorney General is promising but appointing him as Ombudsman is a slap in the face of victims,” stated Juanita Goebertus, Americas director at Human Rights Watch, regarding Saab’s transition. “Meaningful reform requires appointing a new attorney general who is independent, ceases to persecute dissent, and commits to ensuring that all political prisoners are released and amnestied.”
Saab has consistently rejected all allegations of misconduct. In defending his record Wednesday, he stated he carried out his duties “with integrity and honor” and “played the constitutional role of preserving peace and protecting the human rights of our people in a period of unimaginable aggression.”
Human rights organizations, including a United Nations Human Rights Council-supported panel, have documented the charges against Saab. In findings related to the 2024 presidential election, the panel criticized Saab’s efforts to “give a semblance of legality” to the severe violations that occurred following the voting.
“The role played by the Attorney General was most conspicuously evident during the crackdown after the announcement of the election results,” the panel’s findings stated. “Following the protests, the Attorney General led the State action that resulted in human rights violations, including mass arrests, under the guise of the executive’s narrative of fighting a ‘coup d’état’ and ‘fascism’.”
