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Venezuela's ousted chief prosecutor has asked the International Criminal Court to open an investigation into President Nicolas Maduro and four other senior officials for alleged crimes against humanity.

Luisa Ortega visited the Hague-based court Thursday morning accompanied by aides carrying large files of papers.

She said she turned over to the court more than 1,000 pieces of evidence including forensic reports, witness interviews and expert testimony linking security forces to more than 8,000 murders since 2015.

Ortega said that Maduro and his administration "should pay for these crimes against humanity just as they must also pay for the hunger, misery and hardship they've inflicted on the Venezuelan people."

Ortega said that she's taking her complaint to the international tribunal because "it's not possible to punish these people" in Venezuela.