ICC Drops Probe Into U.S. Sanctions on Venezuela, Citing Lack of Crimes Evidence

Amsterdam — Prosecutors at the International Criminal Court said on Thursday they would not open an investigation into whether sanctions imposed by the United States on Venezuela since 2014 amounted to crimes against humanity, concluding there was no reasonable basis to believe such crimes had been committed.

In a statement, the court’s prosecutors said their preliminary examination did not establish sufficient grounds to pursue a formal investigation related to the impact of the sanctions.

The prosecutors noted that a separate investigation remains ongoing into possible crimes against humanity committed in Venezuela since 2014.

That probe focuses on alleged abuses connected to the country’s political crisis and is independent of the examination into sanctions-related claims.

,The review considered allegations that U.S. sanctions imposed on Venezuela could have contributed to humanitarian suffering and therefore might constitute crimes against humanity under the court’s jurisdiction.

However, prosecutors said the available information did not meet the legal threshold required to proceed with an investigation.

The decision means the court will not pursue further action related to the sanctions themselves while continuing its broader inquiry into alleged crimes committed within Venezuela.