International Criminal Court investigation in Venezuela
A preliminary examination by the International Criminal Court (ICC) to analyze possible crimes against humanity committed in Venezuela is currently open. A preliminary examination was previously opened in 2006, but closed after concluding that the requirements to start an investigation had not been met. In February 2018, the ICC announced that it would open preliminary probes into alleged crimes against humanity performed by Venezuelan authorities since at least April 2017. In 2020, the Office of the Prosecutor of the ICC stated that it believed there was a "reasonable basis" to believe that "since at least April 2017, civilian authorities, members of the armed forces and pro-government individuals have committed the crimes against humanity", and on 2021 ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan announced the opening of an investigation regarding the situation in the country. Background By 2006, the Office of the Prosecutor received twelve communications concerning the situation in Venezuela, most of them related to crimes allegedly committed by the Venezuelan government and associated forces and one to crimes alleged to have been committed by opposition groups, but the examination was closed on 9 February 2006 because it was concluded that the Rome Statute requirements to seek authorization to initiate an investigation in the country had not been satisfied. Preliminary examination 2018 In February 2018, the International Criminal Court (ICC) announced that it would open preliminary probes into alleged crimes against humanity performed by Venezuelan authorities. In May 2018, a Panel of Independent International Experts appointed by the Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS) concluded that reasonable grounds existed to believe that crimes against humanity had been committed in Venezuela dating back to at least 12 February 2014 and recommended that; the Secretary General of the OAS, Luis Almagro, should submit the report and the evidence collected by the General Secretariat of the OAS to the Office of the Prosecutor of the ICC, that he should invite States Parties to the Rome Statute to refer the situation of Venezuela to the Office of the Prosecutor and to call for the opening of an investigation into the facts set forth in the report, in accordance with Article 14 of the Rome Statute. On 27 September 2018, six states parties to the Rome Statute: Argentina, Canada, Colombia, Chile, Paraguay and Peru, referred the situation in Venezuela since 12 February 2014 to the ICC, requesting the Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda to initiate an investigation on crimes against humanity allegedly committed in the territory. On 28 September, the Presidency assigned the situation to Pre-Trial Chamber I. This was the first time that member States had sought an investigation of potential crimes that took place entirely on the territory of another country. 2020 Nicolás Maduro's Foreign Minister, Jorge Arreaza, filed a complaint in the ICC against the United States on 13 February 2020, arguing that policy of sanctions has resulted in crimes against humanity. Prosecutor Bensouda stated that she informed the ICC Presidency of the referral pursuant to the regulations of the court to enable