Perspectivas / Perspectives

Caracas, Sep. 15.─ La Comisión Interamericana de Derechos Humanos (CIDH) ha sido informada de que Venezuela ha presentado al Secretario General de la Organización de los Estados Americanos (OEA) un instrumento de denuncia de la Convención Americana sobre Derechos Humanos, fechado el 6 de septiembre de 2012.

La Comisión observa que, una vez que la denuncia de la Convención entre en vigor en el plazo de un año, Venezuela, como Estado miembro de la OEA, seguirá sujeta a la jurisdicción de la Comisión y a las obligaciones que le imponen la Carta de la OEA y la Declaración Americana, suscritas por el Estado de Venezuela en 1948. Asimismo, cualquier caso de violación a los derechos humanos ocurrido hasta la fecha de entrada en vigencia de la denuncia podrá ser conocido por la Corte Interamericana de Derechos Humanos (CorteIDH), de acuerdo al artículo 78.2 de la Convención Americana.

Sin embargo, señala un comunicado, resulta de suma preocupación a la Comisión Interamericana que, a partir de la entrada en vigencia de la denuncia, las violaciones a los derechos humanos que pudieran ocurrir en Venezuela no podrán ser conocidas por la Corte Internacional de Derechos Humanos.

For peace operations —even those authorised under Chapter VII
with mandates to protect civilians—
the UN relies on a standby arrangement system
that is helpful in normal circumstances, but is insufficient,
even prone to fail under more demanding crises

What might the international community do to prevent mass atrocities and to protect civilians at risk? Like the word 'peace', the laudable norms of protection and prevention appear suspect when applied by traditional military means. In Libya, NATO's demonstrations of high-tech war with the initial shock and awe were too reminiscent of Kosovo, Iraq and Afghanistan. Each failed to provide sustainable security.

So where does this leave us? At the last World Summit, the UN Security Council expressed support for timely and decisive responses to stem mass atrocity crimes. This summer, the issue will be the focus of the UN General Assembly. Syria has heightened the urgency. Sudan magnifies it. Brazil renewed interest in the lingering questions of how and with what to prevent mass atrocities and protect civilians by suggesting a 'responsibility while protecting'.2 For now, NATO remains the default choice as we lack a reliable alternative for the more demanding operations. Officials may soon be under pressure to deliver better policy options.

Numerous challenges complicate the problem.

Confiesa ex magistrado venezolano Eladio Aponte Aponte sus actos de manipulación de la justicia siguiendo los dictados del Presidente Chávez

Caracas, Sept.14 (DP.net).─ El abogado constitucionalista Carlos Ramírez López mostró el jueves 13 de septiembre la carta "firmada, notariada y apostillada" por el ex magistrado Aponte en la cual presuntamente confiesa cómo "se fabricó" el caso de los comisarios Simonovis, Forero y Vivas, siguiendo las órdenes de Chávez.

La carta, que figura en las imágenes adjuntas [pulse en "Leer más"], fue redactada y remitida desde Costa Rica. La Cancillería de Costa Rica ha certificado su legitimidad.

A bishop's public resignation to the official church provokes reprisals and unrest

Shanghai, Sept.8.─ Students at Shanghai's Sheshan Catholic seminary, one of China's biggest, learned on August 22nd that classes would be suspended indefinitely. The announcement was another twist in the latest standoff between Catholics and the government that began on July 7th.

On that day, Bishop Ma Daqin (photo), the new auxiliary bishop of Shanghai, announced at the end of his ordination homily at the Cathedral of St Ignatius that he would need to devote every effort to his new post, and it would therefore be "inconvenient" to remain a member of the government's Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association (CCPA), the body which oversees China's Catholic church. The faithful, packed into the pews, rose in spontaneous applause. Shanghai's government was less thrilled; he has since been held under house arrest.