By Cintia Garcia

Impunity Watch Reporter, South America

LIMA, PERU—An unprecedented number of protestors, more than 50,000, marched on August 13th denouncing violence against women. Protestors in Lima marched to the palace of justice while eight other cities across Peru simultaneously held protests. The march was an outcry against lenient sentences given by the court in two high profiled cases of male perpetrators.

Those among the protestors included the newly elected president, Pedro Pablo Kucynski and his wife. He announced his plan of combating femicide: “to ask for facilities for women to denounce violence because abuse flourishes in an environment where complaints cannot be made and the blows absorbed in silence and this not how It should be.” Also present was Victor Ticona, the president of Peru’s judicial system, he stated, “Today, the 13th of August, is a historic day for this country because it represents a breaking point and the start of a new culture to eradicate the marginalization that women have been suffering, especially with violence.” He also announced that a commission of judges would receive the protestors and listen to their demands. Protestors chanted “by touching one, they are touching all of us” and “no more violence nor impunity.”

Peru has experienced a rise in gender violence. According to the Ministry of Women and Vulnerable people, fifty-four women were killed by their partners and another 118 women were victims of femicide attempts. An estimated seven out of ten Peruvian women have been victims of violence. A study conducted by the defender’s office stated that in eighty-one percent of the cases of attempted femicide no measures were taken to protect survivors. Because the state neglected to protect survivors, twenty-four percent of those women were murdered by their male perpetrators. Ana Maria Romero, Peru’s minister of women stated, “our problem is not a lack of legislation, it is how we apply the law. Those in charge of justice need more sensitivity and a better understanding of the rights of the women.”

These protests follow those that have occurred earlier this year in Brazil, Argentina, and Mexico—all under the slogan “Ni Una Mas” coined by the slain poet and activist Susana Chavez.

For more information, please see:

The Guardian—Women in Peru Protest Against Rising Tide of Murder and Sexual Crime—13 August 2016

Telesur—Tens of Thousands March Against femicide in Peru—13 August 2016

Fox News Latino–#Not One Less: Tens of Thousands March in Peru Protesting Violence Against Women—14 August 2016

The Guardian—50,000 March in Peru Against Gender Violence—14 August 2016

By Cintia Garcia

Impunity Watch Reporter, South America

LIMA, PERU–The newly appointed president, Pablo Kuczynski, the Attorney General and Office of the Inspector General will open an investigation following accusations that the national police force carried out extrajudicial killings of 27 people from 2011-2015. All 27 victims were Peruvian civilians from Lima, Ica, and Chiclayo. The police considered those they killed a nuisance or a common criminal. Innocent victims are alleged to be among the dead.

Ninety-Six members of the police force, including sixteen highly ranked officials, are among those being investigated. The units within the force being investigated are: Robbery, Intelligence, anti-terrorism, and a unit similar to SWAT. They were all under the command of Enrique Prado Ravines, a highly ranked police commander. The inspector general’s office will head the commission and investigation. The minister of interior affairs, Carlos Basombrio made it clear to the nation that “the authorities are treating the case with utmost seriousness and will have zero tolerance for the police abuses.” He continued to state that it is important to protect the institution from the bad elements. The goal of the investigation is to release a report to the nation within 10 days detailing the situation.

The allegations were brought forth by members of the police force. After receiving the complaints, the inspector general’s office immediately conducted a month long investigation that confirmed the irregularities within the force. The allegations stated that commander Enrique Prado Ravines would pay lower ranked officials to carry out the killings—which his attorney denies. The claims accuse him of creating a plan to lure the victims by using local gang and criminal organizations. These organizations would kidnap the victims and the lower ranked police officers would kill the captive’s execution style. Forensic reports have revealed that all the victims were shot in a downward trajectory most common among death squads. It was stated that Enrique Prado Ravines killed the individuals because he sought personal career advancements and monetary gains.

Such death squads have not existed in Peru since the dictatorship of Fujimori—a president that carried various human rights violations and is currently serving time in prison.

For more information please see:

RPP Noticias—Un Grupo de Policías es Acusado de Ejecuciones—31 Julio 2016

El Comercio—Presunta Ejecución de Delincuentes: en 10 días Emitirán Informe—01 August 2016

El Economista—Peru investiga a un Centenary de Agentes de la Policia por Presuntas Ejecuciones Extrajudiciales—01 August 2016

Telesurtv—Peru Investigates suspected Death Squad in the Police Force—2 August 2016

By Cintia Garcia

Impunity Watch Reporter, South America

ASUNCIÓN, PARAGUAY—Skepticism of the Paraguayan justice system grows after the sentencing of 11 farmers to prison following the deaths of 6 police officers in the Curuguaty massacre. The sentences ranged from 4 to 35 years in prison.

On July 18 the formal guilty verdict was read at the Paraguay Palace of Justice. Due to fears of unruliness the government dispatched 1500 police officers to the palace. 500 individuals, including families of the farmers and activists were in attendance to hear the verdict. The guilty verdict comes after a year long trial that solely focused on the deaths of the 6 police officers and disregarded the deaths of several farmers. An investigation in their death has not been opened by the Attorney General despite the demand for an investigation from both families and activists. Since the massacre, several organizations have called attention to irregularities in the investigation. In 2013, the UN Human Rights Committee implored Paraguay to allow an “immediate, independent and impartial investigation.”

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Zid Ra’ad Al Hussein, released a statement expressing his concerns by stating, “The conviction of 11 peasants in the Curuguaty case following a trial that allegedly did not respect judicial guarantees is deeply troubling.” He continued by adding that, “I’m also deeply concerned by the fact that, up to now, the deaths of 11 peasants, killed in the same incident, have not been investigated by Paraguayan authorities, nor have the allegations that some were summarily executed after being subjected to torture and other human rights violations.”

The Curuguaty Massacre occurred when police forces were sent to the Morumbi property to evict farmers who were occupying 2000 acres of land. The property was given to Blas N. Riquelme, a politician and businessman during the dictatorship of General Alfredo Stroessner. During his dictatorship, land was given to the military and political elite. Farmers in Paraguay have long voiced their demand for land reform—about 80% of the agricultural land belongs to 2.5% of the population.

For more information, please see:

Fox Latino—Paraguay Police out in Force for Curuguaty Verdict—18 July 2016

Reuters—U.N. Rights Boss ‘Troubled’ by Conviction of Farmers in Paraguay Land Killings Case—20 July 2016

UN News Centre—U.N. Rights Chief ‘Deeply Troubled’ by Conviction of Land Reform Activists in Paraguay—20 July 2016

By Cintia Garcia

Impunity Watch Reporter, South America

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina—Clashes ensued on Thursday when Ledesma company employees were injured by tear gas and rubber bullets fired by the Jujuy police and military forces. Wmployees protested outside the Ledesma company compound—the largest sugar mill in Argentina located in the northern providence of Jujuy.

Ledesma employees are currently on strike and as union members they voted to protest against the company’s refusal to improve work conditions and to increase their salaries by 43%. They sought the salary increase in order to counter act depreciation caused by inflation. Approximately 250 workers were demonstrating in front of the Ledesma company compound when they were met by the company’s private security. An estimated 200 police officers and border guards were called to the area. Immediately the police riot squad began to fire tear gas and rubber bullets at the employees. The police separated protestors from one another and corralled about 80 employees within company grounds. Employees claim that the police prevented city ambulance from entering the area and treating the injured.

Following the clash images and video of the violence went viral on social media. Union leaders and lawmakers denounced the actions by the local police. Victoria Donda, the chair of the Human Rights Commission of the Lower House of Congress stated in a press release, “The institutional violence is incredible and unacceptable. These who are practicing their constitutional right to protest, shouldn’t have been repressed under any circumstance.” The Center for Legal and Social studies called upon the governor of the region, Gerardo Morales to prevent another situation similar to the repression endured by the employees from occurring. The Ledesma company released a statement in which they attempted to downplay the situation and claimed that the employees illegally trespassed onto their property.

Since the clash, unions and political activists in the region have joined the Ledesma company employees in solidarity and halted traffic on the National highway route 34. The union has announced more protests are to follow. Jujuy has been plagued by similar clashes between governmental forces and its citizens.

For more information, please see:

Politica Argentina—Brutal Repression en Jujuy Contra Una Protesta en Ingenio Ledesma—14 July 2015

Telesur—Policía Argentina Reprime a Trabajadores Azucareros en Jujuy—14 July 2015

Buenos Aires Herald—Force Used Against Workers’ Protest in Jujuy—15 July 2015

Los Andes—Represión Policial: 80 Trabajadores de Ledesma Heridos Durante una Protesta en Jujuy—15 July 2016

By Cintia Garcia

Impunity Watch Reporter, South America

CARACAS, Venezuela—The Venezuelan government opened the border between Colombia and Venezuela for 12 hours on Sunday after a group of women broke through the border the previous Tuesday to purchase food. Government officials have also announced the possibility of reopening the border between both nations again in the near future. Colombia and Venezuela are currently in negotiations and are planning to hold a summit.

Since August 2015, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro shut 100 kilometers of the border between San Antonio del Tachira Venezuela and Cucuta Colombia. President Maduro’s reasoning for the border closure was to prevent crime—he claimed the area had been overtaken by gangs and Colombian paramilitaries. Since the closure, in addition to a severe economic downturn in Venezuela, many have been going hungry because there is no food to buy on market shelves.

The situation led 500 women on Tuesday to storm the border connected by the Simon Bolivar Bridge and enter Colombia. The women had organized through social media to gather at the border and cross into Colombia dressed in white. The women pushed past the national guard, bought basic supplies, asked the Colombian guards to let them back through and reentered Venezuela singing the national anthem.

The act by the women prompted the Venezuelan government to open the border on Sunday for 12 hours. Approximately 35,000 people crossed into Colombia crowding the markets to buy rice, oil, toilet paper, medicine and any other basic necessity.

Venezuela’s food scarcity continues to grow causing families, especially children, to go hungry. Venezuela relies largely on imports to feed the nation since it does not produce other goods to fabricate products. Venezuela’s main production and revenue stems from oil. A drop in oil prices globally has caused an economic crisis in the country. A shortage in revenue means that Venezuela cannot import the goods needed to keep markets stocked to feed its citizens. Some critics believe that this is partially the result of government mismanagement. The Venezuelan government says a war is being waged against it for its socialist policies.

For more information, please see:

The Guardian—Venezuelans Storm Colombia Border City in Search of Food and Basic Goods—5 July 2016

BBC—Venezuelan Women Push Past Border Controls for Food—6 July 2016

BBC—Venezuelans Cross into Colombia to buy Food—10 July 2016

TeleSur—Venezuela and Colombia Open Common Border for 12 hours—10 July 2016