Venezuela to Withdraw from ICC

Venezuela has announced its withdrawal from the International Criminal Court (ICC), accusing the Hague-based tribunal of demonstrating "geographical bias" against countries in Latin America and Africa. The US has welcomed the decision.

Foreign Minister Félix Plasencia said on Friday that Venezuela had formally notified UN Secretary-General António Guterres of its "firm and final" decision to denounce the Rome Statute and begin the withdrawal process under Article 127.

In a statement posted on X, Plasencia argued that the ICC had disproportionately targeted countries in the Global South while ignoring broader inequalities in the international justice system. He also accused the court of contributing to what he described as the persecution of the Venezuelan people and undermining national sovereignty.

The ICC opened an investigation in 2021 into alleged crimes against humanity committed by the Venezuelan government during its crackdown on anti-government protests in 2017.

Venezuela's National Assembly voted in December 2025 to withdraw from its obligations under the Rome Statute, paving the way for the country's formal exit from the court.

Plasencia reaffirmed Venezuela's commitment to what he described as a fair system of international justice that respects national sovereignty and the right of peoples to self-determination.

The US State Department welcomed Venezuela's decision to leave the ICC, though it did not immediately provide further details.