International petition to indict Venezuela’s dictator should be joined by more countries — and it probably will

BOGOTA — Judging from what I heard in interviews with Latin American presidents and foreign ministers in recent days, an international effort to indict Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro for possible crimes against humanity may soon get an extra push. Several new countries may join the group, and make it stronger.

Seven countries issued an unprecedented petition to the Netherlands-based International Criminal Court on September 26th to investigate Maduro. The case —the first one in which ICC member countries are asking for a probe into a fellow member — was originally proposed by Argentina, Colombia, Chile, Paraguay and Peru.

Canada joined the group when the petition was formally presented during the recent United Nations’ General Assembly in New York. A few days later, France announced it was joining the group.