Tarek William Saab facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Tarek William Saab
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| Prosecutor General of Venezuela | |
| Assumed office 5 August 2017 Disputed with Luisa Ortega Díaz |
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| Appointed by | National Constituent Assembly |
| Preceded by | Luisa Ortega Díaz |
| President of the Republican Moral Council | |
| Assumed office 16 December 2023 |
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| Preceded by | Elvis Amoroso |
| In office 1 January 2017 – 7 February 2019 |
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| Preceded by | Manuel Galindo Ballesteros |
| Succeeded by | Elvis Amoroso |
| In office 1 January 2015 – 1 January 2016 |
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| Preceded by | Luisa Ortega Díaz |
| Succeeded by | Manuel Galindo Ballesteros |
| 4th Ombudsman of Venezuela | |
| In office 22 December 2014 – 5 August 2017 |
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| Preceded by | Gabriela Ramírez |
| Succeeded by | Alfredo Ruiz |
| Governor of Anzoátegui | |
| In office 31 October 2004 – 28 December 2012 |
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| Preceded by | David De Lima |
| Succeeded by | Aristóbulo Istúriz |
| Deputy to the National Assembly for Anzoátegui State |
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| In office 30 July 2000 – 31 October 2004 |
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| Member of the Chamber of Deputies for the Capital District |
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| In office 23 January 1999 – 22 December 1999 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born |
Tarek William Saab Halabi
10 September 1962 El Tigre, Anzoátegui, Venezuela |
| Political party | Fifth Republic Movement (MVR) (before 2007) United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) (from 2007) |
| Alma mater | Central University of Venezuela Universidad Santa María |
| Profession | Politician, lawyer, author |
Tarek William Saab Halabi is a well-known Venezuelan politician, lawyer, and poet. He was born on September 10, 1962. He was a leader in the Fifth Republic Movement (MVR) party, which was started by Hugo Chávez, a former President of Venezuela. Chávez even called him "The poet of the revolution."
Tarek William Saab has held many important roles in Venezuela. He was the Governor of Anzoátegui state from 2004 to 2012. In 2014, he became the "People's Defender," also known as the Ombudsman. This role involves protecting people's rights. Since August 2017, he has been the Attorney General of Venezuela.
Contents
Early Life and School
Tarek William Saab was born in 1962 into a family of merchants. He started studying law in 1985 at Santa Maria University. He finished his law degree and became an attorney in 1992.
His Career in Government
After Hugo Chávez became president, Tarek William Saab joined the group that wrote Venezuela's new constitution in 1999. In 2000, he was chosen to be a member of the Venezuelan National Assembly, which is like a parliament.
During a time of political change in April 2002, Saab was held by security forces for a few hours. This happened after a group of people gathered near his home.
In 2002, Tarek William Saab was in charge of foreign policy for Venezuela's National Assembly. At one point, he was not allowed to enter the United States. He said this was because of claims linking him to international groups, which he denied.
Serving as Governor
Tarek William Saab was elected Governor of Anzoátegui state in 2004. He was re-elected for a second term in 2008. As governor, he was responsible for leading the state and its government.
During his time as governor, there were some disagreements within his own political party. Some people accused him of using his position to target political opponents.
Becoming the Ombudsman
In 2014, Tarek William Saab was chosen by the parliament to be the Ombudsman. An Ombudsman is like a public defender who helps protect the rights of citizens. They investigate complaints about government actions. His term was set for seven years.
During protests in Venezuela in 2014, some people who opposed the government criticized Saab. They felt he supported the government too much during these events.
Role as Attorney General
On August 5, 2017, a special assembly called the National Constituent Assembly appointed Tarek William Saab as the Attorney General. The Attorney General is the chief legal officer of the country. This role involves leading the public prosecutor's office and making sure laws are followed. He took over from the previous Attorney General, Luisa Ortega Díaz.
In June 2018, Saab was also appointed as the president of the Truth Commission. This commission looks into past events to find out what really happened.
In February 2023, police arrested two men who were planning to harm officials from the Public Prosecutor's Office, including Saab. This plot was stopped.
In April 2023, Saab announced that many people had been arrested in connection with a corruption investigation. This investigation looked into the state oil company and a metal company.
International Actions Against Him
Because of his role in the Venezuelan government, Tarek William Saab has faced actions from several countries. These actions are called sanctions. Sanctions mean that countries disagree with certain actions of a government and take steps like banning officials from traveling or freezing their money.
- In July 2017, the United States Treasury placed sanctions on Saab and other Venezuelan officials.
- He is not allowed to enter neighboring Colombia.
- In September 2017, Canada also placed sanctions on Saab and other officials. Canada stated that these actions were because of concerns about democracy in Venezuela.
- In January 2018, the European Union sanctioned Saab. They said he was involved in human rights issues or breaking the rule of law.
- In March 2018, Panama also sanctioned Saab.
- In April 2018, the Mexican Senate froze the money of some Venezuelan officials, including Saab, and stopped them from entering Mexico.
His Literary Works
Tarek William Saab started writing poems when he was 14 years old. He published his early poems in a local newspaper. In the 1980s, his poems also appeared in a well-known literary section of a national newspaper. He was influenced by American poets like Jack Kerouac and Allen Ginsberg, and the hippie movement. He also enjoyed reading the German novelist Herman Hesse.
In 1993, he was chosen to represent Venezuela at a literature forum in Spain.
One of his books, Los Niños del Infortunio (The Children of Misfortune), was written after he visited a medical mission in Pakistan. This book was presented at a book fair in Cuba in 2006. Former Cuban President Fidel Castro and Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez were both there. Chávez famously called him "the poet of the revolution."
Books He Has Written
Saab has written many books of poetry. Some of his works include:
- Los ríos de la Ira (1987)
- El Hacha de los Santos (1992)
- Príncipe de Lluvia y Duelo (1992)
- Al Fatah (Mexico, 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)
Images for kids
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Tarek William Saab as Ombudsman.
See also
In Spanish: Tarek William Saab para niños
