Grand Corruption and the International Criminal Court in the ‘Venezuela Situation’

Abstract

Abstract Venezuela’s ongoing crisis has resulted in the first-ever joint request from states parties to the International Criminal Court (ICC) to open a preliminary examination. The evidence presented until now of crimes against humanity focuses on attacks on political opposition and demonstrators. We contend that the situation in Venezuela is not fully comprehensible, and the referral falls short, without the use of the lens of grand corruption. We describe what we mean by ‘grand corruption’, how it has corroded Venezuela, and why grand corruption and the atrocities are connected. We explain how every step of the preliminary examination process is better understood if a corruption-infused analysis is brought to bear upon it. We then turn to some caveats and limiting considerations. Finally, we draw some implications for other, increasingly common, situations where grave violations of international criminal law take place because of, and are maintained by, systems of kleptocracy.