Against human rights

Criticisms of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) are an attempt by governments with totalitarian tendencies to dismantle a valuable organization under the false cloak of anti-imperialism.

The governments of Bolivia, Ecuador and Venezuela argued in favor of ending the IACHR during the recent meeting of the Organization of American States (OAS), claiming it is a tool for the United States. At the same time, this advances an agenda for these nations: excluding the U.S. from hemispheric organizations.

In reality, the IACHR is an organization that is independent from the OAS, whose members participate personally without representing any government. Its annual reports don’t overlook anyone, even the United States, which has been harshly criticized for its treatment of undocumented immigrants.

The posture of criticizing the IACHR that Presidents Rafael Correa, Evo Morales and Hugo Chávez assumed puts them on a par with the worst Latin American dictatorships, such as Pinochet’s in Chile, Videla’s in Argentina and Fujimori’s in Peru. It is obvious that authoritarian leaders are bothered by external oversight of their respect for human rights. They see it as outside intervention on their sovereignty.

Bringing international attention to human rights saved many Argentine lives in 1979. Also, ongoing reports were a thorn on the side of Pinochet’s dictatorship, as well as any other leader who thought he was above the rights and protections of his people.

The proposal to review how the IACHR operates is an attempt against the protection of human rights in the hemisphere. The anti-imperialism argument is flimsy-and in its ignorance, it attempts to appeal to nationalism with lies and stereotypes.

There is a big ideological difference among Correa, Morales, Pinochet, Videla, Chávez and Fujimori; however, they see the same independent international organization as an enemy. Probably, when it comes to defending human rights, they have much more in common than meets the eye.