Venezuela announces withdrawal from the International Criminal Court; Washington welcomes the decision - Sarmad

Venezuela announced on Friday that it would withdraw from the International Criminal Court (ICC), stating that the Hague-based court had shown “geographical bias” against Latin American and African countries.

Venezuelan Foreign Minister Félix Plasencia wrote on the social media platform X that his country had informed UN Secretary-General António Guterres of its “firm and final” decision to denounce the Rome Statute and begin its final withdrawal from the ICC under Article 127.

Plasencia said the court had disproportionately focused its work “to harm countries of the Global South,” while continuing what he described as the persecution of the Venezuelan people and exacerbating inequalities.

He added that the court’s actions demonstrated the use of the international justice system “to deepen inequalities among peoples and disregard their right to self-determination and sovereignty.”

According to media reports, the ICC announced in 2021 that it would investigate alleged crimes against humanity committed by the Venezuelan government during a crackdown on anti-government protests in 2017.

In December 2025, Venezuela’s National Assembly voted to withdraw from its obligations under the Rome Statute.

Plasencia reiterated Venezuela’s commitment to what he described as genuine fair justice that respects the sovereignty of peoples and their right to self-determination.

The U.S. State Department welcomed Venezuela’s withdrawal from the International Criminal Court.