5 de March de 2010 Press Release

The Inter-American System has Proved to be Effective and Fruitful

(March 4, 2010) – The undersigned organizations emphasize the crucial role that has been played by the Inter-American System for the protection of human rights, and consolidation of democracy around the continent. We strongly express our deepest concern after the statements given by Venezuela in response to the publication of the Report on Human Rights and Democracy in Venezuela, released on February 24, 2010 by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR).

The president of Venezuela, Hugo Chávez, downplayed the IACHR’s report, insulted his Executive Secretary, Santiago Canton, and threatened to withdraw Venezuela from the Organization of American States (OAS). The apprehensive allegations are disturbing because they do not dispute the facts stated in the document, but rather dismiss the work of he organs responsible to provide international supervision, as well as it undermines the strength of a system that has been vital to defend, promote, and elevate the standards of human rights protection.

One of the most important developments in the international protection of human rights made in the second half of the last century, at both global and regional levels, was the incorporation of different organs responsible for monitoring compliance ─ as the IACHR – in order to establish international responsibility of States Parties. These bodies,  are allowed to give recommendations based on reports, and sometimes can resolve individual cases by issuing resolutions.

Our continent was a pioneer in the protection of human rights with the enactment, in 1948, of the American Declaration of the Rights and Duties of Man. Since 1959, the IACHR has used this Declaration as a yardstick to assess human rights situations in the region. Likewise, it developed an important task due to the commitment of its members, where it expanded the powers of this body to include not only the issuance of recommendations, but also conducting site visits, reporting on the status of the human rights, and the processing of individual petitions, among others. Initially, the non-contentious functions such as issuing reports, were of great importance in the work of the Commission.

The adoption of the American Convention on Human Rights in 1969, which came into force in 1978, added more faculties to the IACHR, and created the Inter-American Court of Human Rights. Venezuela’s role was leading at that time to chair the First Committee appointed to start discussions and establish that the States Parties to the Convention undertook “to respect the rights and freedoms recognized herein and to ensure free and full exercise to all persons which is subject to their jurisdiction without discrimination”.

The IACHR played a key role in challenging, documenting, and reporting abuses by dictatorial governments in the decades of the seventies and eighties. More recently, the IACHR has been instrumental in developing human rights standards. Thus, the regional security system went from challenging productive abuse within the government sphere from dictatorial court, to realize the structural flaws and abuses that still occur in democracy.

While the Inter-American system is not the sole determining factor in achieving these changes, it has been a catalyst for the effective protection of human rights in the region.

For these reasons, the attitude of the State of Venezuela against the report issued by the IACHR erodes the strength and effectiveness of a system that historically has proved to be fruitful and shows laziness on their own legitimate needs of citizens. The undersigned organizations make a fervent appeal to the IACHR and the State of Venezuela to engage in a dialogue to overcome the current tension and examine the substance of the conclusions and recommendations of the report issued.

 

BRASIL

Conectas Direitos Humanos

ECUADOR

Comisión Ecuménica de Derechos Humanos (CEDHU)

El SALVADOR

Instituto de Derechos Humanos de la Universidad Centroamericana “José Simeón Cañas” (IDHUCA)

MÉXICO

Abogadas y Abogados para la Justicia y los Derechos Humanos

Asistencia Legal por los Derechos Humanos A.C. (ASILEGAL)

Asociación Interamericana para la Defensa del Ambiente (AIDA)

Comisión Mexicana de Defensa y Promoción de los Derechos Humanos (CMDPDH)

PANAMÁ

Centro de Iniciativas Democráticas (CIDEM)

PARAGUAY

Foro de Mujeres del Mercosur

PERÚ

Asociación Pro Derechos Humanos (APRODEH)

Centro de Políticas Públicas y Derechos Humanos- Perú EQUIDAD

Coordinadora Nacional de Derechos Humanos

URUGUAY

Instituto de Estudios Legales y Sociales del Uruguay (IELSUR)

VENEZUELA

Acción Solidaria VIH/SIDA

Asociación Venezolana de Organizaciones de Sociedad Civil

Centro de Derechos Humanos de la UCAB

Comité de Familiares de las Víctimas de los Sucesos de Febrero y Marzo de 1989 (COFAVIC)

Espacio Público

Observatorio Venezolano de Prisiones

Sinergia

Vicaría de Derechos Humanos de Caracas

 

REGIONAL ORGANIZATIONS

Centro por la Justicia y el Derecho Internacional (CEJIL)

Federación Internacional de Derechos Humanos (FIDH)