The International Criminal Court (ICC) announced on Thursday (local time) that it will not move forward with an investigation into whether US sanctions on Venezuela could be considered crimes against humanity, news agency AP reported.
The matter originated in 2020 when Venezuela requested the ICC to examine what it called “unlawful coercive measures.” The country argued that asset freezes and travel restrictions targeting several Venezuelan officials, initially imposed under former US President Barack Obama, had led to widespread hardship for Venezuelans.
After reviewing the case, ICC prosecutors decided there was insufficient evidence to pursue charges. In a statement, the office explained that while it was “generally accepted” that sanctions “may have exacerbated an existing dire humanitarian situation,” there was not enough proof of “necessary intent” to pursue criminal charges.
The decision to close this investigation is separate from the events in January 2026, the court noted, when US forces captured President Nicolás Maduro. The ICC also confirmed that it continues to investigate potential crimes committed by Maduro and his security forces.
Probes into crimes under Maduro’s rule continue
The ICC is actively pursuing an inquiry into alleged abuses by Venezuelan security forces during the 2017 crackdown on anti-government protests. According to Human Rights Watch, tens of thousands of Venezuelans took to the streets in April 2017 to oppose the Supreme Court’s attempt to assume the powers of the legislative branch. Following this, protests were staged across the country and were fueled by dissatisfaction with authoritarian practices amid the ongoing humanitarian crisis.
In March 2024, ICC Appeals judges confirmed that the investigation into alleged crimes under Maduro’s government would proceed. ICC Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan formally launched the investigation in late 2021, following a long preliminary review and a referral in 2018 from Argentina, Canada, Colombia, Chile, Paraguay, and Peru.
At one point, the investigation was paused when Venezuelan authorities claimed they would handle the matter domestically. The ICC is a court of last resort that only takes on cases when national authorities are unwilling or unable to investigate, a system known as complementarity. Khan, however, determined that Venezuela’s efforts were either too limited in scope or had not yet produced concrete results, marking the first time the ICC pressed forward in a Latin American case despite domestic claims of jurisdiction.
Monitoring ongoing developments: Khan
In August 2024, the ICC stated it was closely monitoring the situation in Venezuela following the disputed presidential election on July 28. Security forces loyal to Maduro launched a crackdown on opposition supporters, and Khan’s office reported receiving multiple accounts of violence and other alleged abuses in the aftermath of the vote.
The ICC has emphasized that its continued investigations into crimes committed by Venezuelan security forces remain separate from the earlier sanctions case.
