FLORIDA.- In a joint statement, the former heads of state members of the Democratic Initiative of Spain and the Americas (IDEA Group) expressed their concern about the recent complaint filed by the president of Colombia, Gustavo Petroagainst the former president Andrés Pastrana.
“This complaint follows the strategy of the so-called dictatorships of the 21st century, whose vocation to perpetuate themselves in power they intend to control the judges and establish hegemony in favor of State communications,” says the IDEA Group statement.
Political leaders warned about the risk of judicializing opinions on issues of public interest and plural debate, which could lead to a situation similar to that experienced in Venezuela and Ecuador during the regimes of Hugo Chávez and Rafael Correa, respectively.
In this context, the former presidents made reference to a teaching of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights in the Canese and Herrera Ulloa Cases in 2004, which underlines the importance of guaranteeing freedom of expression in all its manifestations, even those that are offensive or disturbing for the State or sectors of the population.
Furthermore, they highlighted that these demands are fundamental for the existence of a democratic society, based on pluralism, tolerance and the spirit of openness.
The declaration was signed by Mario Abdo of Paraguay, Jose Maria Aznar of Spain, Nicolas Ardito Barletta of Panama, Felipe Calderon of Mexico, Rafael Angel Calderon of Costa Rica, Alfredo Cristiani of El Salvador, Ivan Duque of Colombia, Vicente Fox of Mexico, Federico Franco of Paraguay, Eduardo Frei of Chile, Luis Alberto Lacalle H. of Uruguay, Guillermo Lasso M. of Ecuador, Mauricio Macri of Argentina, Jamil Mahuad W. of Ecuador, Carlos Mesa G. of Bolivia, Lenin Moreno of Ecuador, Ernesto Perez Balladares of Panama, Sebastian Pinera of Chile, Jorge Tuto Quiroga of Bolivia, Mariano Rajoy of Spain, Miguel Angel Rodriguez of Costa Rica and Juan Carlos Wasmosy of Paraguay.
Source: WRITING
