UN-backed probe slams Venezuela withdrawal from ICC

A United Nations-backed investigation has condemned Venezuela's withdrawal from the International Criminal Court, warning that the move will exacerbate impunity for human rights abuses.

The UN's Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Venezuela stated that the decision raises serious concerns about the government's commitment to accountability. The mission emphasized that Venezuela urgently needs to ensure justice and truth for its citizens and confront its past.

Venezuela announced its withdrawal from the ICC, citing "geographical bias." This comes as the ICC is investigating alleged crimes against humanity committed under the government of former President Nicolas Maduro. The fact-finding mission, established in 2019, has been assessing alleged human rights violations in Venezuela since 2014.

The mission noted that the current administration has not taken significant steps to advance investigations into documented gross violations and international crimes. Instead, authorities are attempting to avoid international processes designed to promote national accountability.

The ICC prosecutes individuals for severe crimes like war crimes and crimes against humanity. Its current probe focuses on alleged abuses during crackdowns on protesters in Venezuela since 2014. In late 2025, Venezuela's parliament began steps to repeal the Rome Statute, the court's founding treaty, after the ICC closed its Caracas office following stalled government negotiations.

“

It comes at a critical juncture for the country, when what is urgently needed is the realisation of the rights of Venezuelans to justice, truth, and a proper reckoning with the past.