Brazilian Judge Roberto Caldas takes office as Head of Inter-American Court of Human Rights

Brazil congratulates the Inter-American Court of Human Rights for the Opening of the 2016 Inter-American Judicial Year, held in San José today, February 15, occasion when the Brazilian Judge Roberto F. Caldas takes office as President of that Court. On the same occasion, re-elected judges to the Court and new judges will take oath: Eduardo Vio Grossi, Elizabeth Odio Benito, Eugenio Raúl Zaffaroni and Patricio Pazmiño Freire, to whom the Brazilian Government conveys wishes of success on their important function. Brazil will be represented in the ceremony by the Minister for Women, Racial Equality and Human Rights, Nilma Lino Gomes; by the Special Secretary for Human Rights, Rogério Sottili; and by the Special Secretary for Racial Equality, Ronaldo Barros, in addition to other authorities.

The Inter-American Court elected Roberto F. Caldas as its new President in November 2015, for a two-year term beginning on January 1st, 2016, eligible for reelection.

Brazil is confident that the new composition of the tribunal will maintain the tradition of the Inter-American Court in the promotion and protection of human rights in the Americas.

Brazil is in favor of the strengthening of the Inter-American Human Rights System and it values the work of the Inter-American Court and of the Inter-American Commission for Human Rights; Brazil gives support to initiatives that seek to promote the universalization of the legal instruments that comprise this System, as well as the universal recognition of the contentious jurisdiction of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights.