Fiscalía de la Corte Penal Internacional cerrará oficina en Caracas
El fiscal adjunto Mame Mandiaye Niang dijo que no hay un progreso real del trabajo de cooperación con el régimen de Nicolás Maduro
TL;DR
- The ICC Prosecutor's Office is closing its Caracas office, opened in 2024, due to a lack of real progress.
- Deputy Prosecutor Mame Mandiaye Niang stated that 'real progress remains a challenge' despite a cooperation agreement with the Maduro government.
- The ICC opened a preliminary investigation in 2018, finding credible information in 2020 about crimes against humanity such as political persecution, torture, and sexual violence.
- In November 2021, ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan announced a formal investigation and a cooperation agreement, allowing ICC officials to be based in Venezuela.
- Despite attempts by Maduro to halt the process, the ICC continues to investigate Venezuela I.
- Following a third visit in 2023 and a new memorandum of understanding, the ICC's presence did not increase due to delays from Caracas.
- The closure is partly to optimize limited resources, but the investigation into alleged crimes against humanity will proceed.
- Argentina requested immediate ICC action regarding alleged persecution, arbitrary detentions, and forced disappearances following Venezuela's 2024 presidential elections, which the Maduro government accused Argentina of 'politicizing'.
- Venezuela remains the only Latin American country with an open formal ICC process.