ICC to investigate human rights violations in Venezuela

The International Criminal Court (ICC) will open a formal investigation for crimes against humanity in Venezuela after prosecutor Karim Khan’s visit to the capital city of Caracas.

According to the memorandum of understanding signed by Khan and President Nicolas Maduro, the ICC will move forward with the investigation in order to “establish the truth in accordance with the Rome Statute.”

Although Caracas has made clear it does not agree with the ICC’s decision, Maduro stated the regime will respect it.

"We respect his decision as a state, though we have made clear we do not share it," Maduro said. "We have signed an agreement that does guarantee, in an effective way, cooperation, positive complementarity, mutual support, constructive dialogue to seek truth and justice."

Per the Rome Statute, Venezuelan authorities are permitted to advance their own efforts at establishing accountability. 

While the memorandum of understanding states that “no suspect or target has been identified at this stage,” the investigation “is intended to establish the truth and whether or not there are grounds to charge any person."

Both parties also agreed that Venezuela will "adopt all necessary measures to ensure the effective administration of justice, in accordance with international standards, with the support and active engagement of the Office of the Prosecutor of the ICC, pursuant to the principle of complementarity.”

Following a three-day visit to Venezuela, marked by street protests held by family members of the victims of the alleged human rights abuses, Khan assured the international community that his investigation will be “guided by the principles of legality and the rule of law.”

When the ICC opened the preliminary investigation in 2018, Khan's predecessor Fatou Bensouda asserted there was a "reasonable basis" to believe the Venezuelan state had committed crimes against humanity.