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OAS to consult with human rights court regarding Brazilian president's impeachment

Xinhua, May 11, 2016 Adjust font size:

The Organization of American States' (OAS) Secretary General, Luis Almagro, announced on Tuesday that he will have a legal consultation with the Inter-American Court of Human Rights (IACHR) regarding the impeachment process against Brazil's President Dilma Rousseff.

Almagro met on Tuesday with Rousseff in the Planalto Palace in Brasilia, the official workplace of the Brazilian president, to express his rejection of the impeachment, which will be voted for on Wednesday in Brazil's Senate.

The OAS's Secretary General met with senators on Monday and also with the head of the Federal Supreme Court (STF), Ricardo Lewandowski. However, he said that he did not receive "satisfactory responses" regarding the legality surrounding the reasons given for the impeachment.

"We are responsible for observing the functioning of democracy in the continent," said Almagro, while adding that he did not receive "a strong, legal response regarding the impeachment process against Brazil's president."

"Due to our responsibility, provided for in article 20 of the Democratic Charter, we should have a legal consultation with the Inter-American Court of Human Rights to protect and observe human rights in the case, especially civic and political rights that are essential to the working of democracy," said Almagro.

The head of the OAS added that after visiting representatives from Brazil's three political powers he was left with "legal concerns and insecurity."

"One of the problems is the high percentage of deputies and senators that could be accused of corruption. This, without a doubt, creates a structural problem surrounding the decisions made regarding the impeachment," said Almagro.

Almagro had another meeting with Rousseff in the Planalto Palace on April 15, two days before the impeachment vote in Brazil's Chamber of Deputies, the lower house of its Congress. Enditem