Venezuela announces withdrawal from International Criminal Court

The Venezuelan government has officially announced its withdrawal from the International Criminal Court (ICC), a move communicated to UN Secretary-General António Guterres. This decision, described as "firm and irrevocable" by Foreign Minister Félix Plasencia, comes as the ICC continues its investigation into alleged crimes against humanity in Venezuela.

Plasencia stated that Venezuela's withdrawal is based on the perception that the ICC exhibits geographical bias, disproportionately focusing its work on African and Latin American nations. He argued that the court exacerbates inequalities rather than resolving them and accused it of "persecuting the Venezuelan people." The government believes the court's actions are based on demonstrable geographical prejudice.

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Venezuela believes that the Court's actions are based on demonstrable geographical bias, which has led to its work focusing disproportionately on African and Latin American countries.

The ICC has been examining alleged human rights violations in Venezuela for several years, specifically concerning the violent suppression of protests by security forces and the military during the presidency of Nicolás Maduro. The court closed its Caracas office in December 2025, citing a lack of cooperation from Venezuela.

According to the provided text, the withdrawal process takes effect one year after the UN Secretary-General formally receives the notification. The ICC has stated that it has not yet received formal notification of Venezuela's withdrawal.

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Venezuela is of the view that the Court's actions are based on demonstrable geographical bias, which has led to its work focusing disproportionately on African and Latin American countries.