Venezuela
Nuclear-weapon-free state
Has joined the TPNW
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SIGNED
20 September 2017 |
RATIFIED
27 March 2018 |
IN FORCE
22 January 2021 |
Status
Venezuela has signed and ratified the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW). It was among the original 50 states parties to the treaty when it entered into force on 22 January 2021.
Signature and ratification
Jorge Arreaza, the then-minister of foreign affairs of Venezuela, signed the TPNW at a high-level ceremony in New York when it opened for signature on 20 September 2017.
In an address to the United Nations following the signing ceremony, he said that Venezuela had chosen to sign the treaty because it strongly opposes “the existence of nuclear weapons on our planet”, which “presents to humanity unjustifiable and unimaginable anguish and risks”.
Samuel Moncada, the permanent representative of Venezuela to the United Nations, deposited the country’s instrument of ratification with the UN secretary-general on 27 March 2018. Venezuela was the 7th state to ratify or accede to the TPNW.
Jorge Arreaza, the then-minister of foreign affairs of Venezuela, signs the TPNW in 2017. Photo: ICAN
Ambassador Samuel Moncada deposits Venezuela’s instrument of ratification in 2018. Photo: UNOLA
National position
In 2021, Venezuela expressed hope that the TPNW’s entry into force would “bring us closer, sooner rather than later, to the global goal of eliminating nuclear weapons”.
In 2024, it said: “The TPNW stands as a legally binding instrument for the prohibition of nuclear weapons and constitutes a fundamental step towards their irreversible, verifiable and transparent destruction.”
Implementation
In accordance with Article 2 of the TPNW, Venezuela submitted a declaration to the UN secretary-general on 19 February 2021 confirming that it does not own, possess, or control nuclear weapons, has never done so, and does not host any other state’s nuclear weapons on its territory.
As required by Article 3, Venezuela has a comprehensive safeguards agreement in force with the International Atomic Energy Agency to guard against the misuse of nuclear facilities and materials.
Per Article 12, Venezuela has promoted universal adherence to the TPNW, including by co-sponsoring and consistently voting in favour of an annual UN General Assembly resolution since 2018 that calls upon all states to sign, ratify, or accede to the treaty “at the earliest possible date”.
In 2019, Venezuela encouraged “countries that have not signed or ratified [the TPNW] to join this important effort to strengthen the disarmament and non-proliferation regime”.
Meetings of states parties
Venezuela participated in the first meeting of states parties to the TPNW in 2022. “Nuclear weapons are morally unacceptable and must be completely eliminated,” it said. “The use or threat of use of nuclear weapons constitutes a violation of the charter of the United Nations and a crime against humanity.”
It also participated in the second meeting of states parties in 2023 and the third meeting in 2025.
TPNW negotiations
Venezuela participated in the negotiation of the TPNW at the United Nations in New York in 2017 and was among 122 states that voted in favour of its adoption.
In its opening statement to the negotiating conference, Venezuela said that “we hope together to achieve a solid and robust final document that prohibits nuclear weapons as a preliminary step to their total and complete elimination”.
In its closing statement, it said that any use of nuclear weapons is a crime against humanity, and added: “No security doctrine, no national interest of any country, no military bloc could justify the mass killing of human beings nor the destruction of the planet. The logic of life and peace should prevail.”
In 2016, Venezuela co-sponsored the UN General Assembly resolution that established the formal mandate for states to commence negotiations on “a legally binding instrument to prohibit nuclear weapons, leading towards their total elimination”.
Before the negotiations
Venezuela was among 127 states that endorsed a “humanitarian pledge” in 2015–16 to cooperate “in efforts to stigmatise, prohibit, and eliminate nuclear weapons”. The pledge was instrumental in building momentum and support for convening the TPNW negotiations.
Further information
Nuclear-weapon-free state
Has joined the TPNW
[HIGHLIGHTS]
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|
|
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SIGNED
20 September 2017 |
RATIFIED
27 March 2018 |
IN FORCE
22 January 2021 |
Status
Venezuela has signed and ratified the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW). It was among the original 50 states parties to the treaty when it entered into force on 22 January 2021.
Signature and ratification
Jorge Arreaza, the then-minister of foreign affairs of Venezuela, signed the TPNW at a high-level ceremony in New York when it opened for signature on 20 September 2017.
In an address to the United Nations following the signing ceremony, he said that Venezuela had chosen to sign the treaty because it strongly opposes “the existence of nuclear weapons on our planet”, which “presents to humanity unjustifiable and unimaginable anguish and risks”.
Samuel Moncada, the permanent representative of Venezuela to the United Nations, deposited the country’s instrument of ratification with the UN secretary-general on 27 March 2018. Venezuela was the 7th state to ratify or accede to the TPNW.
Jorge Arreaza, the then-minister of foreign affairs of Venezuela, signs the TPNW in 2017. Photo: ICAN
Ambassador Samuel Moncada deposits Venezuela’s instrument of ratification in 2018. Photo: UNOLA
National position
In 2021, Venezuela expressed hope that the TPNW’s entry into force would “bring us closer, sooner rather than later, to the global goal of eliminating nuclear weapons”.
In 2024, it said: “The TPNW stands as a legally binding instrument for the prohibition of nuclear weapons and constitutes a fundamental step towards their irreversible, verifiable and transparent destruction.”
Implementation
In accordance with Article 2 of the TPNW, Venezuela submitted a declaration to the UN secretary-general on 19 February 2021 confirming that it does not own, possess, or control nuclear weapons, has never done so, and does not host any other state’s nuclear weapons on its territory.
As required by Article 3, Venezuela has a comprehensive safeguards agreement in force with the International Atomic Energy Agency to guard against the misuse of nuclear facilities and materials.
Per Article 12, Venezuela has promoted universal adherence to the TPNW, including by co-sponsoring and consistently voting in favour of an annual UN General Assembly resolution since 2018 that calls upon all states to sign, ratify, or accede to the treaty “at the earliest possible date”.
In 2019, Venezuela encouraged “countries that have not signed or ratified [the TPNW] to join this important effort to strengthen the disarmament and non-proliferation regime”.
Meetings of states parties
Venezuela participated in the first meeting of states parties to the TPNW in 2022. “Nuclear weapons are morally unacceptable and must be completely eliminated,” it said. “The use or threat of use of nuclear weapons constitutes a violation of the charter of the United Nations and a crime against humanity.”
It also participated in the second meeting of states parties in 2023 and the third meeting in 2025.
TPNW negotiations
Venezuela participated in the negotiation of the TPNW at the United Nations in New York in 2017 and was among 122 states that voted in favour of its adoption.
In its opening statement to the negotiating conference, Venezuela said that “we hope together to achieve a solid and robust final document that prohibits nuclear weapons as a preliminary step to their total and complete elimination”.
In its closing statement, it said that any use of nuclear weapons is a crime against humanity, and added: “No security doctrine, no national interest of any country, no military bloc could justify the mass killing of human beings nor the destruction of the planet. The logic of life and peace should prevail.”
In 2016, Venezuela co-sponsored the UN General Assembly resolution that established the formal mandate for states to commence negotiations on “a legally binding instrument to prohibit nuclear weapons, leading towards their total elimination”.
Before the negotiations
Venezuela was among 127 states that endorsed a “humanitarian pledge” in 2015–16 to cooperate “in efforts to stigmatise, prohibit, and eliminate nuclear weapons”. The pledge was instrumental in building momentum and support for convening the TPNW negotiations.
Further information
[PARTNERS]
[LOCALSUPPORT]