Born in San Fernando del Valle de Catamarca to a father of Syrian descent, Saadi studied law at the University of Buenos Aires, graduating in 1977.

He was president of the Peronist youth wing of Catamarca, and in 1982 was named editor of the newspaper La Voz.

In 1987, after his term expired, he was elected Senator and was succeeded as governor by his own father, Vicente Saadi.

[1] Saadi was, despite the controversy, elected to the Argentine Chamber of Deputies that September, and was twice re-elected, serving until 2003.

He was returned to the Senate that year, as part of the Front for Victory caucus of President Néstor Kirchner, although having been previously an ally of Carlos Menem.