Wednesday 26 de september de 2018

Information for the Press N°: 384/18

The petition was announced yesterday by President Macri in his address to the United Nations

 As announced yesterday by President Macri in his address to the United Nations General Assembly, Foreign Minister Jorge Faurie and his counterparts from Canada, Chile, Colombia, Paraguay and Peru provided details on the request submitted by their respective Governments to the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) to investigate and determine whether crimes against humanity have been perpetrated in Venezuela.

 The request, submitted by means of a joint letter signed by the Presidents of these States, explains to the prosecutor that it is necessary to open an investigation to determine whether crimes against humanity have been perpetrated in Venezuela since 12 February 2014 and, if so, whether one or several given individuals must be accused of the perpetration of such crimes.

 Foreign Minister Faurie noted that “the fact that this group of governments has requested the ICC prosecutor to expedite the consideration of the report submitted by the expert committee is of enormous importance.”

 "The highlight of the joint letter to the ICC, which is highly descriptive, is the reference to the particularly dramatic situation in Venezuela as a result of arbitrary detentions, murders, extrajudicial killings, torture, serious violations of criminal due process, etc.” "As we see it, these are the issues to be investigated because, if proven, they would clearly constitute crimes against humanity, calling for our action since the current issue is not only the absence of democracy, but also the fact that dictatorship prevails," Faurie stated.

 Argentina expects that those responsible for this crisis will be investigated and held accountable for their actions, underscoring the fact that this action is part of Argentina´s policy of defence of human rights and solidarity with the Venezuelan people. Argentina, together with others from the region, has played a leading role in the claims in connection with the crisis in Venezuela, making it an item on the agenda of the United Nations, the Organization of American States, and other bilateral and regional fora. President Macri also introduced this issue in MERCOSUR, leading the claims regarding a rupture of democratic order, as well as human rights violations and political prisoners.

 Argentina believes that the solution to this crisis must be peaceful, democratic and negotiated among Venezuelans in the context of the rule of law. The international community can contribute to the achievement of that solution through coordinated actions under international law that will increase international pressure on Maduro’s regime, which is why Argentina is confident that the International Criminal Court will contribute to alleviating the Venezuelan people's suffering.

 Yesterday, Foreign Minister Jorge Faurie participated in the High-Level Meeting on mass migration of Venezuelan citizens, organized by Colombia for the purpose of considering potential courses of action in order to implement a coordinated response to the migration flows of Venezuelans and their impact on the region.