Venezuela, through a statement, submitted a brief to the International Criminal Court (ICC) in order to deny the accusations that implicate the country in alleged crimes against humanity.
According to the document, “Venezuela provided abundant information that shows the political nature of the process initiated at the ICC in 2018, as part of the ‘regime change’ strategy promoted by the Government of the United States of America.
It also demonstrated that the Venezuelan judicial system is permanently activated “to guarantee justice, through the exercise of its jurisdiction.”
As an example of the political nature of the process, he cites the case of a Venezuelan citizen presented by the ICC Prosecutor’s Office as a victim of torture, who, when interviewed by the authorities, denied having suffered violations of his right to personal integrity.
Likewise, Venezuela denounces “the proven links of the ICC Prosecutor’s Office with non-governmental organizations that have provided information against the national authorities”, and reiterates that it will defend “its rights as a Nation, against this formula of legal colonialism that the institutionality intends to use of the International Criminal Court for political purposes”.
Below is the text of the statement:
The Government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela informs that on February 28, 2023, it submitted to the International Criminal Court (ICC) a brief in which it denies all the fallacies of the media and geopolitical aggression launched to accuse Venezuela of alleged crimes. against humanity, which have never occurred.
In its letter, Venezuela provided abundant information that shows the political nature of the process initiated at the ICC in 2018, as part of the “regime change” strategy promoted by the Government of the United States of America. Likewise, it demonstrated that the Venezuelan Justice System is permanently activated to guarantee justice, through the exercise of its jurisdiction.
As proof of the political nature of the process, the case of a Venezuelan citizen presented by the ICC Prosecutor’s Office as a “victim” of “torture” and “persecution” was highlighted, but when interviewed by the national authorities competent authorities expressly denied having suffered violations of his right to personal integrity.
In addition, said citizen was appointed in 2021 by the National Assembly to exercise high State responsibility in one of the national public powers.
Likewise, in its document, Venezuela denounced the various irregularities and violations of due process committed by the ICC Prosecutor’s Office, including the defenselessness to which the Venezuelan State has been subjected throughout the process, as well as the proven links of the the ICC with non-governmental organizations that have provided information against the national authorities in this matter, which calls into question the due impartiality and objectivity of said court.
Finally, the Government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela confirms that it will continue to exercise all the actions at its disposal to make the truth prevail and defend its rights as a Nation, against this formula of legal colonialism that intends to use the institutionality of the International Criminal Court with political purposes, in clear contravention of its raison d’être and the norms and principles of International Law.
In Caracas, on February 28, 2023.
