Venezuela Abandons the Ship: US Dismantles the Hague Court
The US welcomed Venezuela's withdrawal from the International Criminal Court in The Hague and called on other countries to abandon the Rome Statute. Meanwhile, member states voted to remove Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan over allegations of sexual misconduct. These moves deal a severe blow to the court.
The United States welcomed the decision of Venezuela's acting president, Delcy Rodríguez, to withdraw from the International Criminal Court in The Hague. In an official statement, Washington defined the step as a partnership in efforts to dismantle the "corrupt and worthless" court. The US called on all member states to immediately withdraw from the Rome Statute. Venezuela's Foreign Minister, Félix Plasencia, announced that his country had submitted an official notification to the UN about its "irreversible" decision, citing "geographic bias" against countries in the Global South. The move had been expected since December, when the National Assembly voted to repeal the law ratifying the Rome Statute. Simultaneously, member states of the court voted on the same day to remove Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan, following allegations of sexual misconduct. 82 out of 125 states supported the removal. Khan had opened an investigation against Venezuela in 2021 for crimes against humanity, but the investigation reached a dead end. The collapse of relations with Caracas and the American campaign deal a severe blow to the court.