Is President Hugo Chavez Liable under International Criminal Law?

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ABSTRACT

In 1998, Venezuelans elected a radical to be the country's seventy-third president. His so-called Bolivarian Revolution has been the focus of Latin Americans, political skeptics, and local radicals around the world. The purpose of this study is to determine whether President Hugo Chavez is Liable under International Criminal Law?

Table of Contents

ABSTRACTii

I.Introduction1

Delimitation of the Problem1

Is President Hugo Chavez Liable under International Criminal Law?1

II. Outline of contradictory claims, claimants, their foundations of authority, and recognitions1

Claims by political and military opposition1

President Chavez's justification for his actions2

III. Recognition of historical trends in decision and their specifying factors2

What is an International Crime?2

Commentary on the crime of harassment by International Criminal Tribunals before the Rome Statute3

i.The International Criminal Tribunal for Yugoslavia.3

ii.The International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda.3

Commentary on Pertinent Crimes under the International Criminal Court Statute (including discussion of elements of crime and mens rea)4

i.Article 6, Genocide.4

ii.Article 7, Crimes against Humanity.5

Reasonable basis to believe that President Chavez committed crimes within the jurisdiction of the ICC (Article 53 ICC Statute)6

IV. Prediction of future decisions by the ICC and other Organs8

V. Appraisal, discussion of alternatives and selection of preferred solutions in the common interest of a public order of human dignity9

VI. Conclusion9

REFERENCES10

Introduction

Delimitation of the Problem

In this study the basic delimitation is that the research is based on secondary sources. Primary research can be costly and time consuming and may have several setbacks.

Is President Hugo Chavez Liable under International Criminal Law?

Bases on the evidences from various articles and news sources it can be concluded that the President of Venezuela Hugo Chavez is liable under the international criminal court for his crimes against humanity and imposing a dictatorship rule over his country.

II. Outline of contradictory claims, claimants, their foundations of authority, and recognitions

Claims by political and military opposition

In current arguments and declarations Venezuela's governmental opponents announced that President Hugo Chavez has started supremacy of terror" versus his adversaries. It also predicates that the administration is losing its support than ever and that the time is right for colossal street demonstrations.

President Chavez's justification for his actions

Despite all the controversies about President Chavez's actions against humanity, he believes that the Bolivarian Revolution under his regime has transformed the once-democratic Venezuela into a de-facto absolute regime, which moves closer to totalitarianism each day. According to him, the Bolivarian Revolution promotes a socialist ideology and rejects democracy and capitalism. Needless to say, it is fervently anti-American; it seeks to reduce U.S. power in the region and, if possible, throughout the world.

III. Recognition of historical trends in decision and their specifying factors

What is an International Crime?

International crimes are the gravest international wrongful acts that infringes on the basis of the existence of states and nations, undermining the fundamental principles of international law, which threatens international peace and security. Responsibility for international crimes rests with the State. International crimes are:

Aggression;

War crimes;

Crimes against humanity;

Colonialism;

Genocide;

Apartheid;

Slavery;

Ecocide.

Commentary on the crime of harassment by International Criminal Tribunals before the Rome Statute

The International Criminal Tribunal for ...