This thesis explores the shadow cast by the International Criminal Court over Colombia through the means of a persisting non-decision. It uses the work of Koskenniemi to characterize the Office of the Prosecutor s positive approach to complementarity as an attempt to employ a culture of formalism. It then analyzes how actors involved represent the Court s engagement with key figures the country during the long time it has been under preliminary examination. Taking critical theory and hauntology studies as a starting point, the author then proceeds to ask: How is the impact of the impact/shadow of the Prosecutor s nondecision (pursuant to the opening of an investigation) portrayed/felt in Colombia? How does it come to be? She argues, departing from an aesthetic analysis of documents, political cartoons and the movie Manos Sucias, for a different approach on the politics of international law. Finally, she offers a critique of International Relations as a practice.