New Delhi, May 17 -- Colombian-born businessman Alex Saab, a key financial operative for former Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro, has been deported to the United States for the second time, in what analysts say signals a striking new era of law enforcement cooperation between Washington and Caracas.

Venezuelan authorities confirmed on Saturday that Saab, 54, had been expelled to the US, citing his alleged involvement in criminal activity on American soil. The move comes weeks after Maduro himself was captured and transferred to New York to face charges of narcoterrorism conspiracy, raising questions about how comprehensively Venezuela's interim leadership is distancing itself from the former administration.

Saab is a Colombia-born bu...