Venezuela Calls on ICC to Investigate US Sanctions Calling It "Crimes Against Humanity”

Venezuelan Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza made the announcement as he was speaking to journalists in The Hague on Thursday.

According to Press TV, Arreaza said the Latin American country had submitted the 60-page suit to the court, stressing that the US policy of sanctions has been "a death sentence for tens of thousands of Venezuelans per year."

"Our government is seeking refuge with international law," the top Venezuelan diplomat said. "We are convinced the consequences of the unilateral measures (by the United States) constitute crimes against humanity against the civilian population."

Arreaza also said the lawsuit, handed to ICC chief prosecutor Fatou Bensouda on Thursday, was accompanied by a letter from Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.

The 57-year-old leader had earlier announced that he would file a lawsuit against the administration of US President Donald Trump over the economic damages it caused to his country through its unilateral sanctions against Venezuela.

"We will seek international justice with a lawsuit against the government of Donald Trump. I have ordered this and I ask for all the support from the national general public, all the support for this international claim," Maduro said at a rally in Caracas on Monday.

"A global lawsuit against the policy of aggression and sanctions of coercive measures; Venezuela will seek justice in international courts," he added.