Venezuela targeted by US and group of Latin American states in UN spotlight
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro is scheduled to take to the podium of the UN General Assembly today, days after Argentina, Columbia, Chile, Peru and Paraguay requested an investigation into human rights abuses at the International Criminal Court.
The case is built on multiple alleged grievances, including drug-trafficking charges and more than 8,000 extrajudicial executions. Despite these serious charges, Mr Maduro has stated he may not be attending today due to security risks following this year’s assassination attempt.
The request highlights the international community’s growing unease with Mr Maduro’s authoritarian regime. While not grounds for an immediate investigation, the ICC is now able to expedite the process if it so chooses may very well be the precursor to further legal action against the corrupt government.
The US also imposed sanctions on Maduro’s inner-circle on Tuesday, citing similar charges on Latin American countries. While other nations work through the international courts, there has been talk of a military intervention by the US. However, such a drastic action is unlikely given the potential domestic and international backlash on the Trump administration. Thus, barring a significant degradation of human rights, expect Washington to continue leveraging sanctions and its economic might.
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