Venezuela has formally informed UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres that it is ending its membership with the International Criminal Court. This action arrives after the National Assembly voted to cancel the country’s ratification of the Rome Statute.
Foreign Minister Felix Plasencia claimed the court displays a geographic bias, disproportionately targeting nations in the Global South. He argued that the tribunal is being utilized to bypass national sovereignty and push political agendas. Plasencia further labeled the court’s operations as a form of legal warfare designed to undermine the Venezuelan government.
The ICC has been conducting an active investigation into potential crimes against humanity in Venezuela, specifically scrutinizing the conduct of state security forces under President Nicolás Maduro during and after the 2017 protests. Reported violations include torture, murder, and political persecution.
Simultaneously, during an emergency gathering in New York, 82 out of 125 ICC member nations voted to remove prosecutor Karim Khan. This decision followed findings of sexual misconduct and his prior suspension in 2026. Khan is the first chief prosecutor in the court’s history to be formally dismissed.
