Venezuela Votes to Withdraw from International Criminal Court's Rome Statute Amid Criticism of Alleged Human Rights Abuses
In a move seen as a rebuke to an international institution, Venezuela's National Assembly has approved a measure to withdraw the South American country from the Rome Statute, which established the International Criminal Court (ICC). The vote, applauded by top lawmakers, is part of a broader campaign against what one official called an "antiquated institution" that has been probing alleged human rights abuses in Venezuela.
President of the National Assembly Jorge Rodriguez framed the move as a strike against an institution that serves to protect people, but only if it serves the interests of those who hold power. He linked the court's efforts to those of the United States, a country that has long refused to acknowledge Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro as its legitimate leader.
The US is not a party to the Rome Statute and has repeatedly denounced ICC investigations into allegations against its citizens and allies. In fact, former US President Donald Trump issued multiple rounds of sanctions against ICC officials last year, labeling the judicial body's actions as "illegitimate and baseless."
Venezuela signed the Rome Statute in 1998 and ratified it in 2000, bringing the law into effect. The country has maintained that there was no systematic attack on its civilian population during alleged human rights abuses under Maduro's government.
The ICC opened an investigation into the Venezuelan president and his government for crimes against humanity, including torture and extrajudicial killings of opposition figures. However, the probe was paused initially to allow Venezuela to address allegations internally before proceeding in June 2023.
Critics argue that the ICC lacks teeth to enforce its mandate, with major powers like China, Russia, and Israel not being members or facing arrest warrants for alleged war crimes. The court has so far issued only a few convictions and faced significant challenges in bringing those responsible to justice.
The move by Venezuela comes as part of a reaction to the ICC's decision to close an office in Caracas earlier this year. The office aimed to help with the ongoing investigation into crimes against humanity, but its closure was met with resistance from Venezuelan officials, who accused it of failing to make progress.
It remains to be seen how Maduro will follow through on his plan to sign the legislation revoking Venezuela's commitment to the Rome Statute.
In a move seen as a rebuke to an international institution, Venezuela's National Assembly has approved a measure to withdraw the South American country from the Rome Statute, which established the International Criminal Court (ICC). The vote, applauded by top lawmakers, is part of a broader campaign against what one official called an "antiquated institution" that has been probing alleged human rights abuses in Venezuela.
President of the National Assembly Jorge Rodriguez framed the move as a strike against an institution that serves to protect people, but only if it serves the interests of those who hold power. He linked the court's efforts to those of the United States, a country that has long refused to acknowledge Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro as its legitimate leader.
The US is not a party to the Rome Statute and has repeatedly denounced ICC investigations into allegations against its citizens and allies. In fact, former US President Donald Trump issued multiple rounds of sanctions against ICC officials last year, labeling the judicial body's actions as "illegitimate and baseless."
Venezuela signed the Rome Statute in 1998 and ratified it in 2000, bringing the law into effect. The country has maintained that there was no systematic attack on its civilian population during alleged human rights abuses under Maduro's government.
The ICC opened an investigation into the Venezuelan president and his government for crimes against humanity, including torture and extrajudicial killings of opposition figures. However, the probe was paused initially to allow Venezuela to address allegations internally before proceeding in June 2023.
Critics argue that the ICC lacks teeth to enforce its mandate, with major powers like China, Russia, and Israel not being members or facing arrest warrants for alleged war crimes. The court has so far issued only a few convictions and faced significant challenges in bringing those responsible to justice.
The move by Venezuela comes as part of a reaction to the ICC's decision to close an office in Caracas earlier this year. The office aimed to help with the ongoing investigation into crimes against humanity, but its closure was met with resistance from Venezuelan officials, who accused it of failing to make progress.
It remains to be seen how Maduro will follow through on his plan to sign the legislation revoking Venezuela's commitment to the Rome Statute.
! I mean, who needs an institution that's supposed to protect people but is more like a tool for those in power? It's all about perception, you know? The US has been super critical of the ICC, especially when it comes to its citizens and allies. But, let's be real, if Venezuela thinks they're gonna get away with whatever human rights abuses they've been accused of, good luck with that 
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. Will Venezuela actually follow through on their plan to sign the legislation revoking their commitment to the Rome Statute? Only time will tell 
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The ICC does have its limitations, I'll give them that... but to just withdraw from the Rome Statute without even trying to address the issues internally first seems like a pretty hasty decision. 
Like, what a joke, right? Venezuela thinks they can just opt out of being held accountable for all the human rights abuses and suddenly everyone's friends again 
. And let's be real, ICC isn't exactly known for its teeth, but that doesn't mean they can just ignore Venezuela's shenanigans entirely 
. This whole thing is a mess and I'm not sure who's more ridiculous, Maduro or the ICC 
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because that's exactly what they've been doing with all these "demonstrations" of support for their pals in other countries. where's the action when it comes to actual human rights? 
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. The fact that he's linking this to the US is also pretty interesting – I wonder what his endgame is here 
. i'm all about good governance and holding people in power accountable... but at the same time, we can't just expect one institution to fix everything 
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its like they're testing the waters before making any major moves... anyway, wonder if this is gonna lead to the US stepping in more or if venezuela's just trying to assert its own independence 
. And what about all those victims of torture and extrajudicial killings? Don't they deserve some form of justice? 
. I mean, on one hand, I get why they're trying to push back against an institution that has been accused of being biased towards Western powers. But at the same time, it feels like they're just throwing up their hands and saying "we can't trust anyone". The idea that the ICC is somehow controlled by the US is a bit far-fetched 
. The US is already doing its own thing, imposing sanctions on ICC officials, so now Venezuela is trying to follow suit? Come on 
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