Venezuela has announced its withdrawal from the International Criminal Court (ICC), accusing the global tribunal of showing bias against countries in the Global South.

Foreign Minister Felix Plasencia said the government had formally notified the United Nations of its “irrevocable” decision to leave the court, adding that the move was made on the orders of interim President Delcy Rodriguez.

According to Plasencia, Venezuela believes the ICC has disproportionately focused on African and Latin American countries while failing to apply the same standards to other nations. He argued that the court’s actions have undermined the principles of sovereignty, self-determination and equal justice.

The decision comes after years of tension between Venezuela and the ICC. In 2021, the court opened an investigation into alleged crimes against humanity linked to the government’s crackdown on anti-government protests in 2017. Last December, Venezuela’s National Assembly also voted to end the country’s commitments under the Rome Statute, the treaty that established the ICC.

The withdrawal also follows closer ties between Venezuela’s government and the United States. The US, which is not a member of the ICC, has repeatedly criticised the court and recently pledged to weaken its operations, particularly over investigations involving US and Israeli actions.

The latest development comes as discussions continue over Venezuela’s foreign policy and its efforts to strengthen diplomatic relations with other countries, including Israel.