Putin decides not to attend inauguration of president of Mexico, ICC member state

STANISLAV POHORILOV — Friday, 20 September 2024, 12:46

Russian leader Vladimir Putin will not travel to Mexico, which has signed the Rome Statute, for the inauguration of elected President Claudia Sheinbaum. Ukraine has requested the arrest of the Kremlin leader should he visit the country.

Source: Aleksandr Shchetinin, Head of the Latin American Department of the Russian Foreign Ministry, in an interview with RTVI

Quote from Shchetinin: "We received such an invitation (to the inauguration of the President of Mexico – ed.), and we are grateful to the Mexican side for it."

Details: He said Putin appointed an envoy who will represent Russia at the events.

Shchetinin did not explain the reasons for Putin's refusal but added that Moscow is allegedly "acting in accordance with established protocol practices and the obligations of the Russian leader."

Note: Mexico signed the Rome Statute in 2005, making it subject to the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court, which issued an arrest warrant for Putin.

Previously: Ukraine asked the Mexican government to arrest Russian ruler Vladimir Putin under an International Criminal Court warrant if he attended the inauguration of President Claudia Sheinbaum on 1 October.

Background:

It was previously reported that the team of newly elected President of Mexico Claudia Sheinbaum, in coordination with Foreign Minister Juan Ramón de la Fuente, began sending invitations to presidents of various countries for Sheinbaum's inauguration, scheduled for 1 October. One of the official invitations was sent to Putin.
In March 2023, the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Russian leader Vladimir Putin, deeming him guilty of the unlawful deportation of thousands of children from Ukraine.
The issuance of the warrant means that Putin could be arrested if he travelled to any ICC member state.
However, in early September, Putin visited Mongolia, a signatory of the Rome Statute, where the country's leadership refused to arrest the Russian leader.

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