Venezuela begins to collect evidence with a view to an international trial against the U.S.

The Venezuelan National Assembly has established a commission to review statements by former U.S. President Donald Trump and his administration officials.

The commission aims to document instances of perceived U.S. aggression towards Venezuela, potentially leading to international legal action against the U.S.

The commission was initially formed in response to Trump’s publicized intent to seize Venezuelan oil and has since expanded its scope to investigate alleged U.S. plans to commit crimes against humanity targeting Venezuelans.

The commission will consider previous statements by high-ranking U.S. officials, including former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Security Advisor John Bolton, and Senator Marco Rubio, who publicly acknowledged considering military intervention in Venezuela.

The commission will function for a period of 30 days, extendable if necessary. At the end of its mandate, the commission will present a detailed report to the assembly members.

The ultimate goal is to compile a comprehensive account of perceived U.S. international law and conventions violations, potentially leading to a case before the International Criminal Court (ICC).

The actions under scrutiny include potential territorial threats and the impact of unilateral sanctions imposed by the U.S., which have resulted in significant economic losses for Venezuela.

According to some estimates, these measures led to a loss of US$240 billion for the Venezuelan oil sector between 2013 and 2020 and overall economic losses nearing US$620 billion.

The commission believes these sanctions have had severe consequences for both supporters and opponents of the current Venezuelan government.

Some Venezuelans, initially sympathetic to the opposition, have reportedly shifted their stance, acknowledging the negative effects of the sanctions on all citizens.

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