Venezuela has announced its decision to withdraw from the International Criminal Court (ICC), accusing the Hague-based tribunal of demonstrating regional bias in its work. The move comes while the court continues investigating alleged crimes against humanity linked to the administration of former president Nicolas Maduro.

Foreign Minister Felix Plasencia said on Friday that Caracas had formally informed the United Nations of its decision to leave the ICC. In a post on X, he said interim leader Delcy Rodriguez, who assumed office after US forces removed Maduro in January, had directed the withdrawal.

"Venezuela considers that the Court's actions reflect a demonstrated geographical bias, which has disproportionately concentrated its work on African and Latin American countries," Plasencia said.

The ICC said it had not yet received an official notification from Venezuela regarding its withdrawal.

"We regret any decision to depart from the collective effort to end impunity for the most serious international crimes," the court said in a statement, noting that a country's withdrawal takes one year to become effective.

The tribunal also emphasised that "the withdrawing State remains bound by obligations that arose whilst it was a State Party."

It further clarified that "Withdrawal does not affect any pre-existing cooperation obligations arising from criminal investigations or proceedings that had commenced" before the withdrawal process began.

The ICC is investigating allegations of crimes against humanity connected to the suppression of anti-government protests in Venezuela dating back to 2014.

The latest announcement follows a series of disputes between Caracas and the court. In December 2025, Venezuela's parliament began the process of repealing the Rome Statute, the treaty that established the ICC, after the tribunal shut its Caracas office, citing unsuccessful discussions with the government.

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Earlier this year, the ICC also rejected Venezuela's claims that US sanctions imposed on the country constituted crimes against humanity.

Plasencia's announcement came on the same day that ICC member states voted to dismiss chief prosecutor Karim Khan over allegations of sexual assault. Khan has denied the accusations, and his legal team said on Friday that he intends to contest the decision.

Khan had attracted international attention in 2024 after seeking arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defence minister Yoav Gallant over alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in the Gaza Strip.

Following Donald Trump's return to the White House in 2025, the United States responded by imposing sanctions on the ICC and several of its judges.

The United States and Israel are not members of the ICC, which prosecutes individuals accused of the gravest international offences, including war crimes and crimes against humanity. (AFP)