Reacting to the acting Venezuelan government’s decision to withdraw from the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC), as confirmed on 6 August, Ana Piquer, Amnesty International’s Americas Director, said:
“The Venezuelan government’s regretful decision to withdraw from the Rome Statute is the last step in a long string of efforts to avoid scrutiny and accountability for some of the most serious crimes under international law.
The Venezuelan government’s regretful decision to withdraw from the Rome Statute is the last step in a long string of efforts to avoid scrutiny and accountability for some of the most serious crimes under international law.”
Ana Piquer, Amnesty International’s Americas Director.
It bears reminding authorities that withdrawing from the Rome Statute in no way affects the ongoing criminal investigation by the Office of the Prosecutor (OTP) into crimes against humanity committed in the country prior to this decision, nor of any other events before 24 July 2027. It does, however, signal the acting government’s disregard for victims’ rights to truth, justice, reparations and guarantees of non-repetition.
For many years, Amnesty International has documented grave human rights violations and crimes under international law being committed by Venezuelan authorities under a policy of repression that seeks to silence dissent. The organization’s conclusion that some of these crimes could amount to crimes against humanity has been echoed by the OTP and the UN international independent Fact-Finding Mission (FFM). The formal withdrawal of Venezuela from the Rome Statute makes the renewal of the FFM’s mandate during the upcoming session of the UN Human Rights Council in September-October more crucial than ever before.
There are thousands of victims of the Venezuelan government’s policy of repression. They have not, and will not, give up on their rights. The avenues for truth and justice they have so courageously sought and opened outside of Venezuela remain active. The investigation by the OTP, the UN Fact-Finding Mission, and cases under the principle of universal jurisdiction continue, and Amnesty International will continue supporting their fight for justice.”
There are thousands of victims of the Venezuelan government’s policy of repression. They have not, and will not, give up on their rights. The avenues for truth and justice they have so courageously sought and opened outside of Venezuela remain active.”
Ana Piquer, Amnesty International’s Americas Director.
Background
On 24 July 2026, the acting government of Venezuela formally deposited its decision to withdraw from the Rome Statute of the ICC, with the withdrawal taking effect one year from the date of notification (24 July 2027). This decision had been announced by the Venezuelan government in 2025 and reiterated in July 2026, but the official registration before the UN treaty body was only made public in the UN web repository on 6 August.
In 2018, the OTP-ICC opened a preliminary examination into the situation in Venezuela. On 3 November 2021, it announced the opening of an investigation into possible crimes against humanity in the country, focusing on: “Crimes against humanity of deprivation of liberty or other serious deprivation of physical liberty (…) torture (…); rape and/or other forms of sexual violence of comparable severity (…); and politically motivated persecution against persons detained (…), which were committed since at least April 2017, by members of the State security forces, civil authorities and pro-government persons (or groups called “collectives”).”
In 2019, Amnesty International concluded that crimes under international law being committed in a widespread and systematic manner by the authorities under the command of Nicolás Maduro against the civilian population could amount to crimes against humanity. These crimes include extrajudicial executions, torture, enforced disappearances, arbitrary detentions, and persecution on political grounds.
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