translated from Spanish: IACHR after completing a visit in the country: “Chile is experiencing a serious DD crisis. HH.”

The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) on Friday made a press point, in order to express some of the conclusions they were able to obtain from the inloco visit to the country that culminated today. The president of the agency, Esmeralda Arosemena, gave a reflection on the various episodes that have occurred during the last months. “I want to acknowledge that it was a conquest of Chilean society, I also want to start from a central idea that the commission has, which is the recognition that chile is experiencing a situation of serious crisis in human rights today,” he said. “I would like to ask with the coming of my colleagues for a minute’s silence as a tribute to the victims, today dedicating our report to the families of the deceased, the wounded, the detainees and the raped, to those who have lost their sight.” In addition to this gesture, he also alluded to those who have taken part in the demonstrations. “My appreciation of the young people, the students who have given with their voice shows that we have empowered our boys and girls, the expectations of a struggle for the transformation of the fairest, more equitable societies, seeking equality, respecting the dignity of all, without any exclusion,” he replied. For his part, Joel Hernández, rapporteur of the IACHR for Chile indicated that in the coming months they will deliver the final report on the recommendations that they specified today in a preliminary way. However, in addition to alluding to the cases of Fabiola Campillay and Gustavo Gatica, he insisted that “the protests recorded in several cases abuses, detensations and disproportionate use of force”, denouncing that there was “lack of alignment of the standards international in the management of protests.” With this, he assured that “the numbers speak for themselves.” The IACHR condemns all acts of violence, and recalls that the protest is legitimate as it takes place peacefully,” he added and called on the “Chilean authorities to properly investigate allegations of human rights violations and report human rights violations adequately to the public.” In this vein, he commented that the agency values the “opening” of the Chilean government “for international observation on the situation of human rights in the country”. Hernandez also referred to laws that could “criminalize the right to assembly,” so he urged “not to develop legal measures that turn into criminal acts behaviors that in themselves do not affect the freedom and safety of people.” On the other hand, the rapporteur stated that “the commission recognizes the legitimacy of historical demands, in particular its claims regarding income inequality, access to health, education, social security, water and other social rights”. He retorted that “while Chile has recorded high rates of economic growth and achieved achievements in poverty reduction and coverage of social services, high levels of inequality and exclusion persist.”

Original source in Spanish