Venezuela quits ICC, accusing global court of bias against Global South

Plasencia cited what he called the ICC’s “geographic bias,” claiming the court disproportionately targets countries in the Global South, particularly those in Africa and Latin America.

“This trend shows that the international justice system, rather than acting fairly, is being used as a tool to deepen inequality among peoples and disregard their right to self-determination and sovereignty,” Plasencia wrote.

Acting Venezuelan President Delcy Rodríguez accused the ICC of being used as a tool to persecute the country during a public event, Reuters reported on July 24.

“The International Criminal Court has become so politicized as a means of attacking the Venezuelan people and the Venezuelan state that we do not believe in an organization or institution like that,” she said.

The move had been expected since December, when Venezuela’s National Assembly voted to revoke the country’s ratification of the Rome Statute. The vote came a month before the United States removed former President Nicolás Maduro from power. His removal cleared the way for Venezuela’s final withdrawal from the ICC, Reuters reported.

The ICC has investigated alleged crimes against humanity in Venezuela. In 2020, the court said it had reasonable grounds to believe that Venezuelan officials, military personnel and government supporters may have committed such crimes since at least 2017.

ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan opened the investigation in 2021, prompting objections from the Venezuelan government.

The ICC closed its Caracas office in January 2025, citing a lack of cooperation from Venezuelan authorities, then led by Maduro. Rodríguez became acting president after his removal. Reuters described her as a close ally of the Trump administration and reported that she intends to seek the ICC’s dissolution.