Government announces Venezuela's withdrawal from the International Criminal Court

The Venezuelan government, under the leadership of acting president Delcy Rodríguez, has declared its "firm and irrevocable" decision to denounce the Rome Statute and permanently withdraw from the International Criminal Court (ICC). The government asserts that the ICC exhibits a "bias," disproportionately focusing its efforts on African and Latin American nations.

Venezuelan Foreign Minister Félix Plasencia stated in a release that this pattern reveals an international justice system that, far from being equitable, has been instrumentalized to deepen inequalities between peoples and disregard their right to self-determination and sovereignty. He added that, by Rodríguez's orders, this decision was communicated to United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres.

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This pattern reveals a justice international that, far from being applied with equity, has been instrumentalized to deepen inequalities between peoples and disregard their right to self-determination and to sovereignty.

Plasencia argued that the ICC's "bias" is not a mere procedural coincidence but reflects an institution whose mechanisms serve interests alien to justice and the peoples it claims to protect. "Therefore, we reject this dimension of lawfare, which perpetuates persecution against the Venezuelan people and exacerbates the inequalities that international justice should correct," he added. The Foreign Minister reiterated Venezuela's commitment to a justice system that is "genuinely equitable, respectful of the sovereignty and self-determination of peoples."

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Therefore, we reject this dimension of lawfare, which perpetuates persecution against the Venezuelan people and exacerbates the inequalities that international justice should correct.

This move follows the National Assembly, controlled by Chavismo, unanimously approving a law in December to repeal the country's adherence to the Rome Statute. At that time, Legislative President Jorge Rodríguez stated the aim was to "denounce to the world the futility and vassalage" of the ICC. The sanctioning of this law came after the ICC Prosecutor's Office announced the closure of its technical office in Caracas in December, citing a lack of "real progress" with Venezuela on the principle of "complementarity," which requires a state to genuinely investigate alleged crimes before the court intervenes.

The ICC opened its investigation into Venezuela in 2018 following a referral from several countries. Despite repeated attempts by Nicolás Maduro to halt the case, arguing that Venezuela's judicial system was conducting internal investigations, the Court rejected this position in 2023 and authorized the resumption of inquiries into alleged crimes against humanity committed since 2017.

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This institution should serve to protect peoples and only serves the designs of North American imperialism.