Key Developments
On 25 July 2026, the Department of State said the United States supported Venezuela’s withdrawal from the International Criminal Court under interim President Delcy Rodriguez, criticized the court for alleged bias and overreach, and urged other Rome Statute members to leave.
Key Statistics
- 1 ICC withdrawal by Venezuela received U.S. support, according to the Department of State
- 8 years of ICC scrutiny of Nicolás Maduro were referenced by the Department of State, which said the court had investigated him since 2018
Main Body
On 25 July 2026, the Department of State said the United States supported Venezuela’s decision to withdraw from the International Criminal Court under interim President Delcy Rodriguez. The department said the court had shown political bias and overreach, and it argued that the ICC had not delivered justice in its handling of matters involving Nicolás Maduro.
The Department of State said the United States encouraged other ICC member states to withdraw from the Rome Statute. The statement placed Washington’s criticism of the court alongside Venezuela’s institutional decision, making the ICC dispute part of the wider U.S. position on international legal bodies and Venezuelan governance.
The announcement followed a 16 July 2026 Department of State statement welcoming a joint agenda by Venezuela’s 2015 National Assembly and interim government to support stability, reconciliation, democratic institutions, and electoral systems. On 22 July 2026, France’s Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs said Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot met ICC Deputy Prosecutor Mame Mandiaye Niang, backed the court’s work, and urged the United States to lift sanctions affecting the court.
The development mattered because the Department of State position and the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs position showed a direct split among Western governments over the ICC’s role. The dispute came as IRC reporting described Venezuela as facing post-earthquake economic and humanitarian pressure, which added urgency to international decisions affecting the country’s political transition and external partnerships.
