Abstract
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The International Criminal Court (ICC) resumes its investigation into human rights violations in Venezuela.
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The Venezuelan government, under Dictator Nicolás Maduro, has tried to dissuade the ICC with various legal resources.
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This is the first time an investigation has been initiated against a sitting government in Latin America.
ICC Resumes Investigation into Human Rights Violations in Venezuela
The International Criminal Court (ICC) has resumed its investigation into alleged human rights violations in Venezuela. This decision comes as a setback for Dictator Nicolás Maduro, who has attempted to dissuade the ICC from proceeding with the investigation through various legal resources.
The Venezuelan Government’s Attempts to Halt the Investigation
The ICC’s Preliminary Issues Chamber issued a statement outlining the conclusions of the analysis of Venezuela’s repeated requests to suspend the process. The Venezuelan government argued that its justice system was taking charge of the situation. However, the ICC stated that Venezuela is not investigating the allegations of crimes against humanity and that there are inexplicable periods of investigation inactivity.
The Role of NGOs in Documenting the Case
While the political spectrum in Latin America has shifted, and allegations against human rights violations committed by the Venezuelan government have taken a backseat in diplomatic relations, human rights defenders in Venezuela have pushed for justice at international levels. NGOs such as Defiende Venezuela and Acceso a la Justicia have expressed that the ICC’s decision is a victory for the victims.
Conclusion
The ICC’s decision to resume its investigation into human rights violations in Venezuela marks a significant step in the long journey towards verifying the occurrence of crimes against humanity and potentially sanctioning high-ranking government officials as responsible.