Human Rights Watch warns of ‘alarming’ democratic backsliding in Latin America
Latin America suffered a setback in basic freedoms and respect for democratic institutions in 2021, Human Rights Watch says in its report on the situation of human rights in the world.
“The alarming decline in fundamental freedoms in Latin America today forces us to defend democratic spaces that we used to take for granted,” said Tamara Taraciuk Broner, Acting Director for the Americas at the organization. “Even leaders who came to power through democratic elections have attacked independent civil society, freedom of the press, and judicial independence. Millions of people have been forced to leave their homes and countries, and the pandemic has had a devastating economic and social impact”.
The report, published on Wednesday, highlights the “abusive” legal proceedings against the July 11 protesters in Cuba; the holding of elections in Nicaragua without the “minimum democratic guarantees” and preceded by a wave of arrests of leader Daniel Ortega’s opponents, as well as the investigation of the International Criminal Court on possible crimes against humanity committed in Venezuela under the government of Nicolás Maduro.
The document details the government’s repression of the massive protests in July in Cuba, where 1,355 people were detained, according to the latest count by the legal aid organization Cubalex. According to relatives of the detainees who spoke with the Miami Herald, the trials of 57 protesters began this week in Santa Clara, Holguín and Havana under heavy police presence and without due process.
“It was all a charade,” said Roxana García Lorenzo about the trial of her brother, Andy García Lorenzo, and 15 other protesters in the city of Santa Clara. “The prosecutors brought 29 witnesses, all police officers and state security officers, who told a thousand lies. They didn’t even recognize the prisoners. Their statements today did not coincide with what they declared previously.”
The Human Rights Watch report draws attention to the prosecution of minors for participating in the protests, the arrest of dissidents and artists such as José Daniel Ferrer, Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara and Maykel Castillo, and in general, the increased harassment of independent artists, activists and journalists on the island. It also mentions regulations to restrict freedom of expression and the press.
“Cubans are experiencing possibly one of the worst human rights situations of the century,” said Juan Pappier, senior researcher in the Americas division of Human Rights Watch. “To the brutal strategy of repression and censorship of the regime is added a serious economic crisis that has had a devastating impact on the economic and social rights of the population.”
But the organization also pointed to the growing authoritarianism in countries like Brazil, Mexico, and El Salvador, with democratically elected rulers. All three leaders have tried to threaten or co-opt the judicial system in their countries.
In Brasil, President Jair Bolsonaro made unfounded allegations of electoral fraud, the document mentions. Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador has attacked journalists and human rights defenders and tried to eliminate independent public bodies that limit his power. And in El Salvador, President Nayib Bukele and allies in congress replaced Supreme Court justices to ensure his consecutive reelection, which is prohibited by that country’s constitution.
Human Rights Watch also highlights how instability in the region and the economic and social impact of the pandemic have generated millions of displaced persons and migrants.
Among the few “encouraging” events mentioned by the report are the approval of same-sex marriage in Chile and the decriminalization of abortion in Argentina and Mexico.
This story was originally published January 13, 2022 at 7:00 AM.