By Kaitlyn Degnan
Impunity Watch Reporter, South America

BOGOTA, Colombia — The Colombian government has launched an investigation into disappearances in Colombian prisons between 1999 and 2001. The investigation is focusing on La Modelo prison in Bogota. The dismembered remains of at least 100 persons were found in the sewer system of the prison.

La Modela is one of Colombia’s biggest prisons, and significantly overcrowded. During the period in question, the prison was divided and controlled by left-wing and right-wing paramilitary groups. Allegedly, faction leaders bribed prison officials to look the other way while they maintained control over their part of the prison. The paramilitaries allegedly patrolled their so-called “territory” armed with grenades and automatic weapons.

Rumors of disappearances in the prison have spread since the dismembered remains of an inmate was found stuffed in a drain in 2000. He had disappeared eight days earlier. The next day, 17 inmates disappeared during a fight between different factions. Their remains were never found.

Investigators believe that there may be more remains hidden in the sewer systems of other prisons throughout Colombia.

The investigation was prompted by the prosecution of paramilitary leaders Mario Jaimes Mejía, called “El Panadero” (“the Baker”) and Alejandro Cárdenas Orozco. The two face charges of kidnapping, torture, and rape in the attack of Jineth Bedoya. Bedoya, a journalist, was one of the first to bring attention to the disappearances at the prison, after she noticed the numbers of inmates and visitors to La Modelo that went missing.

In 2000, Bedoya was abducted while visiting La Modelo (for the purpose of interviewing El Panadero). She was taken to the countryside where she was tortured and raped. The perpetrators left her tied up in a rubbish pile ten hours later.

Bedoya says she is “grateful for the actions being taken today, but it should’ve happened years ago. El Panadero’s testimony taken more than 15 years ago, his version of the story, which is completely false, was endorsed by a prosecutor (with the Colombian attorney general’s office) and that allowed for the process to stall and the case to remain in impunity.” Bedoya sued the Colombian government in the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights for “unwillingness to do justice in her case.”

Finding the truth of the disappearances at La Modelo, according to Bedoya, is “a debt that ht estate owes not only to Jineth Bedoya but the hundreds of victims of La Modelo Prison and the paramilitary forces.”

The current prosecutor, Caterina Heyck announced in a press conference on February 17^th that El Panadero had confessed to ordering the attack on Bedoya, and that Cárdenas had admitted to being one of her abductors. She has also requested that the two men not qualify for lighter sentences under the Justice and Peace Law. The law allows former paramilitary members to receive lighter sentences for laying down arms and confessing to their crimes.

For more information, please see:

Reuters – Scores of dismembered bodies found in Colombian jails – 17 February 2016 

BBC – Colombia probes disappearances from Bogota prison – 18 February 2016

CNN – Remains of at least 100 may have been tossed into sewers under prison – 18 February 2016

Latin Post – Colombian Jails Have Secrets That Can Give Your Nightmares – 18 February 2016

Mirror – Gruesome mystery as body parts of 100 prisoners and visitors found in sewer – 18 February 2016

Time – 100 Dismembered Bodies Found Beneath Colombian Prison – 19 February 2016 

Vice News – Colombia is Investigating Whether 100 Bodies Were Stuffed in a Prison Sewer – 19 February 2016

 

By Kaitlyn Degnan
Impunity Watch Reporter, South America

CARACAS, Venezuela — Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro declared a state of economic emergency on January 14^th. The declaration would give him oversight of the national budget, public and private production and the distribution of essential goods. The Opposition controlled National Assembly attempted to block the move on January 22^nd, rejecting the declaration and arguing in favor of structural reform.

The Supreme Court of Justice, the highest court in Venezuela voted in affirmation of Maduro’s declaration, as many had expected it would. The court is known to “blindly” support the government.

The court was able to overrule the National Assembly because the Assembly did not call a special session to review the decree within 48 or make a declaration within eight days. Waiting, according to the court, “violated the legal process, juridic security and due process consecrated in article 49 of the Constitution.”   The court’s ruling called the measures outlined by the decree “proportional, pertinent, useful and necessary.”

The move has prompted reiteration of calls by members of the National Assembly for Maduro’s ouster. National Assembly president Henry Ramos Allup described the Maduro-led government as “terminal.” Allup has called for “peaceful and constitutional” change.

Dropping oil prices has contributed to Venezuela’s recession, increasing inflation (the highest triple digit inflation in the world, according to Bloomberg) and the shortage of basic goods. Reportedly over 70 percent of grocery stores lack basic staples, like cooking oil and toilet paper. Most store shelves are empty.

Maduro’s emergency decree will allow him to assign more resources to public services, create a streamlined process for imports and “oblige individuals” to contribute to the transportation, storage and distribution needs related to increasing production.

 

For more information, please see:

Bloomberg Business – Venezuela Supreme Court Upholds Maduro’s Emergency Decree – 11 February 2016 

Agence France-Presse – Venezuela opposition calls talks on ousting president – 13 February 2016 

Buenos Aires Herald – Top court Oks Maduro emergency decree – 13 February 2016

Global Research – Coup Threatened in Venezuela Amidst Deepening Economic Crisis – 15 Feb. 2016

PanAm Post – Open Letter to Venezuelan President Maduro: Please Resign – 15 February 2016 

Venezuela Analysis – Economic Emergency in Effect in Venezuela, as Supreme Court Rules in Favour of Executive – 15 February 2016

By Kaitlyn Degnan
Impunity Watch Reporter, South America

BOGOTA, Colombia — Colombian Ombudsman Jorge Armando Otálora is facing allegations of sexual harassment from his former private secretary. Astrid Helena Cristancho, an attorney, resigned from her position last November “in protest.” She made her story and allegations of abuse public in Daniel Coronell’s column published in Semana. Cristancho provided Coronell with explicit photos sent to her by Otálora, documents and screenshots of conversations detailing the harassment.

Cristancho filed an official complaint with the Attorney General in January. She said she did not immediately report the abuse out of fear, calling Otálora a “powerful person who has lots of money.” She told journalists while filing the complaint: “I call on all women and men who have been victims of any type of harassment to speak up.” She was wearing a T-shirt bearing the slogan “No Means No.”

Otálora, in response defended himself by saying he was in love with Cristancho, calling the photographs “the result of trust in a relationship between couples who spent very nice moments.”

Human Rights groups had called for Otálora’s resignation, and several politicians and political parties have withdrawn their support. Although Otálora had initially said that he would not resign, he finally did so on January 28. Otálora attributed the “media-hyped scandal” to “political enemies wanting to damage the institution he represents.”

Additionally, Otálora allegedly called for the resignation of his Assistant Ombudsman, Esiquio Manuel Sanchez Herrera, due to “institutional adjustments” in the office. Sanchez, however, claims that he made the decision to resign voluntarily because of the scandal.  He told reporters that he “made this decision voluntarily,” and that it is “best for the country and for the institution.”

Otálora was also accused of being an “abusive boss” by his former deputy, Juan Manual Osoria, who resigned in August 2015. He claimed to endure insults and screaming from Otálora. Cristancho also reported similar abuse in her complaint, in additional to the sexual harassment.

 

For more information, please see:

Semana – El acoso no era solo laboral, tambien sexuel – 23 January 2016

Latin Correspondent – Colombia’s Ombudsman embroiled in ugly labor and sexual abuse allegations – 26 January 2016 

EFE – Colombian ombudsman accused of harassment asks for resignation of his No. 2 – 27 January 2016

Prensa Latina – Colombia Ombusman Could Resign after Sexual Harassment – 27 January 2016

Associated Press – Colombia’s human rights boss resigns amid harassment scandal – 28 January 2016

Latin Post – Human Rights Groups Call for Colombia’s Ombudsman Jorge Armando Otálora’s Resignation Amid Sexual Harassment Scandal – 28 January 2016

 

 

By Kaitlyn Degnan
Impunity Watch Reporter, South America

LONDON, UK — Mercer’s second annual “When Women Thrive” report has identified Latin America as the only region globally on track to reach gender workplace parity at the professional level by 2025.

According to the report, in Latin America, women account for 17 % of executives today, but current hiring, promotion and retention rates projects that that number will rise to 44% in 2025. Women’s representation at the professional level is 36%, rising to 49% by 2025.

The study also reports that Latin American women are twice as likely as men to be promoted from the senior manager level, and more likely to be promoted from every level.

Worldwide, women hold 28 % of profit and loss roles, breaking down to 47 % in Latin America, followed by 27 % in Asia and 25 % in Australia/New Zealand. Women only represent 22 % of profit and loss roles in the US and Canada and only 17% in Europe.

The study is based on a survey of 583 organizations in 42 countries (representing Europe, Asia, Australia, New Zealand and the Americas), accounting for 3.2 million employees.

Pat Milligan, Mercer’s global leader of the “When Women Thrive” initiative called the under-representation of women in the workplace an “economic and social travesty.” Julia Howes, a Mercer principal involved with the project, said that although there has been focus on women at the top, the main issue is the lack of female talent pipelines.

Women are set to make up 40 % of the professional workforce by 2025. Most regions of the world “won’t even be close to gender equality” within the next 10 years.

For more information, please see:

Forbes – Women: Under Representation is an Economic and Social Travesty – 26 January 2016

Mercer – 2016 Global When Women Thrive Report – 26 January 2016

Business Standard – Failure to build talent pipeline threatens women’s workplace progress, says Mercer report – 27 January 2016

Irish Times – Latin America Expected to top women at work rankings – 27 January 2016 

Reuters – Latin America to top professional working women league by 2025 – Mercer – 27 January 2016

Voice of America – Study: Latin America to Lead with Number of Professional Working Women by 2025 – 27 January 2016

By Kaitlyn Degnan
Impunity Watch Reporter, South America 

NEW YORK, United States — The United Nations Security Council, led by the delegation of the United Kingdom, has approved a 12 month long mission to monitor the cease-fire between the Colombian government and FARC Rebels. The resolution was unanimously adopted, and had been requested by both parties.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon was reportedly “pleased by the strong commitment Council members had shown to the peaceful resolution of the armed conflict in Colombia.

Both parties have pledged safety for the members of the mission, who will be unarmed. The mission will include experts from Latin America and Caribbean States.

Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon will present details of the mission within 30 days of a final agreement being signed. He will then report every 90 days on the progress of the mission.

After the initial 12 month period, the mission may be extended with the consent of the Colombian government and FARC leadership.

The move was welcomed by Colombian officials. “The Security Council’s decision means we are no longer going alone, but hand in hand with the U.N., with the entire world, toward the end of this war,” said Colombia President Juan Manual Santos.

The disarmament is tentatively scheduled to begin on March 23, though it is uncertain if a final agreement will be reached before that time. The parties have so far reached agreements in the areas of drug trafficking, land rights, and punishment for human rights violations.

Although the Colombian government has agreed to hold a public referendum to allow Colombians to vote for or against the final agreement, FARC representatives have expressed concern over this method.

The violence between government forces and FARC rebels in Colombia is said to be the longest running conflict in Latin America – lasting for over fifty years. Over 220,000 people have died and 5 million others displaced throughout the conflict.

 

For more information, please see:

New York Times – U.N. Can Seal the Peace in Colombia – 23 January 2016 

Reuters – UN Security Council creates mission to verify Colombia peace deal – 25 January 2016

TeleSur – UN Agrees to Supervise Colombia Peace Deal – 25 January 2016

The City Paper – UN Security Council votes to monitor Colombia in post-conflict – 25 January 2016 

UN News Centre – UN Security Council approves mission to monitor peace deal between Colombia and FARC – 25 January 2016

Washington Times – Colombia, FARC rebels nearing peace deal amid worries about aftermath – 25 January 2016

Jurist – UN Security Council approves peace mission in Colombia – 26 January 2016

Latin America News Dispatch – UN Agrees to Oversee Future Ceasefire Deal Between Colombia, FARC Rebels – 26 January 2016

The City Paper – Striking a peace deal with Colombia’s forests and fields – 26 January 2016

Latin American Herald Tribune – UN Approves Sending Mission to Colombia to Verify Cease-Fire – 27 January 2016

Latin Post – Colombia-FARC Peace Talks to End 50 Years of Conflict – 27 January 2016