The International Criminal Court (ICC) has rejected a request from Venezuela for a deferral of an international investigation into human rights abuses by the country's officials. On Tuesday, the court's judges found that the domestic criminal proceedings in Venezuela "did not sufficiently mirror the scope of the prosecution's intended investigation". In November 2020, ICC prosecutor Karim Khan had requested that the judges deny the deferral, arguing that the legal reforms proposed by the Venezuelan government would actively shield high-level perpetrators from possible prosecution. The independent panel of experts of the Organization of American States (OAS) had made the same recommendation in their May report on alleged human rights violations in the country.

The judges agreed with Khan and the OAS panel, and issued their ruling that the proposed reforms in Venezuela were inadequate to warrant a delay in the investigation. In their decision, they said that while Venezuela had taken some steps to investigate alleged abuses, such steps were not enough to mirror the scope of the investigation. The OAS report specifically noted that the Venezuelan government had failed to do enough to address the human rights violations allegedly committed by President Nicolas Maduro and his inner circle. This includes the excessive use of force by security forces, rights violations in prisons, and the use of food and medicine as a political weapon.

The ICC now has the green light to resume their investigation into the alleged human rights abuses committed by Venezuelan officials. This will include a thorough examination of the evidence, with the potential to bring charges against the perpetrators. It is expected to be a lengthy process, and the outcome will depend on the cooperation of the Venezuelan government. The rejection of the request for a deferral of the investigation into human rights abuses in Venezuela is a major victory for the ICC and international justice. It is a clear signal from the court that those responsible for egregious human rights violations will be held accountable, and that no government is above the law.