Last updated on October 25th, 2022 at 10:08 am<\/p>\n
Guatemalan President Alejandro Giammattei considers that the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) has exceeded its mandate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Namely, the IACHR has decided to include Guatemala in chapter 4b of countries that violate human rights. This chapter includes Cuba, Venezuela and Nicaragua, countries with imprisoned dissidents and rigged elections. What is Guatemala’s sin? Signing the so-called Geneva Consensus Declaration that enshrines the right to life from the moment of conception and proudly qualifying for the pro-life capital of Latin America.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In an earlier strong speech, he denounced the “ideological bias” of the OAS and the IACHR, the “lack of legal rigor” and what he described as “methodological errors”.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The first is to censure the IACHR for questioning judicial resolutions, recalling that the IACHR cannot be a fourth instance and that there are internal mechanisms for challenging them. Ignoring this reality is a “gross methodological error” and undermines institutionality and the principle of subsidiarity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This was Giammattei’s statement:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“The IACHR should not be an activist (…) Trying to impose interpretations of treaties that have not been agreed upon or voted in democratic processes (…) It is an overreach of its mandate.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Giammattei also recalls that recommendations cannot be binding and, in any case, they must respect domestic legislation and the constitutional order. All this to dignify and give prestige to the American Human Rights system itself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“Censuring us for signing the Geneva Consensus that recognizes the right to life from conception, as well as the American Convention on Human Rights, is an attack against our sovereignty. Illegality against Guatemala can be against anyone”.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And in case he had not been understood, he added that “Guatemala will not accept extortion or threats” from the IACHR.<\/p>\n\n\n\n