The International Criminal Court chief prosecutor said Monday he is "actively monitoring" tensions in Venezuela over the result of the country's presidential election.
Karim Khan also said his office had received "multiple reports of instances of violence and other allegations" following the July 28 presidential election.
Longtime socialist leader Nicolas Maduro was declared the winner of a new term but opposition leaders say their candidate, Edmundo Gonzalez, was cheated of victory. Protests since the vote have left at least 24 people dead while 2,200 people have been arrested, according to rights groups.
Khan's office said in a statement that it was "independently evaluating all these reports and other information available within the scope of its mandate and jurisdiction."
The ICC said it was still investigating "with focus" previous events in Venezuela. The ICC prosecutor opened an earlier inquiry into potential crimes against humanity by government forces during opposition protests in 2017 when more than 100 people were killed.
Khan's office said it had "engaged" with the Venezuelan government "at the highest-level to underline the importance of ensuring that the rule of law is adhered to in the present moment and emphasise that all persons must be protected from violations" that could be investigated by the ICC.
