US Secretary of State Marco Rubio launched a scathing attack
against the International Criminal Court (ICC), rejecting any attempt by the
body to exercise jurisdiction over US citizens. During his remarks, the
official asserted that Washington will not recognize the “authority” of an
international tribunal to try members of its citizenry and characterized the
institution as a threat to national sovereignty.
Rubio criticized the role of the ICC, which he described as
an organization comprised of unelected officials that, in his opinion, seeks to
extend its reach beyond the limits established by international law. According
to the Secretary of State, allowing a foreign court to have the power to
investigate or prosecute US citizens would set a precedent that would
jeopardize the legal independence of the United States.
In his speech, the official appealed to the country's
founding principles and cited the spirit of the Declaration of Independence,
affirming that freedom and sovereignty are fundamental rights that cannot be
ceded to international bodies. Rubio asserted that the U.S. administration will
continue to defend these principles and will reject any attempt to limit the
United States' ability to administer justice over its own citizens.
He also maintained that the International Criminal Court
seeks to consolidate itself as an authority with global powers to investigate,
prosecute, and even request the arrest of individuals from different
countries—a situation that, from the perspective of the U.S. government,
represents a risk to the autonomy of nations that do not recognize the court's
jurisdiction.