Madeleine Penman, Mexican investigator for Amnesty International; Erika Guevara-Rosas, Americas Director for Amnesty; and Byron Arellano, son of a torture survivor. Mexico City. June 28, 2016. Rebecca Blackwell / AP/Press Association Images
DemocraciaAbierta: Thank you, Erika, for accepting our invitation. To begin our conversation, we would like to consider Latin America in context: What do you think have been the region's main achievements and challenges regarding human rights?
Erika Guevara: I'll begin with the achievements. Undoubtedly, the Americas have been going through a phase of consolidating its young democracies. Today we live in a region which, fortunately, is seeing the end of its last armed conflict in Colombia. It is a region where the economic indexes have been growing, which has strengthened its relationship with diverse markets, and has established international alliances. Nevertheless, regrettably, when it comes to human rights we find ourselves a step behind. The region has consolidated its Inter-American system for the protection of human rights as a fundamental pillar in the creation of these young democracies. Yet today, this system is being abused by the states themselves, which have become more intolerant of criticism, especially criticism regarding human rights.
