E-177/00 October 5, 2000 GUATEMALA RATIFIES PROTOCOL TO OAS HUMAN RIGHTS TREATY  Guatemala today renewed its commitment to democracy and to fully respect the rights of the individual, as the region grapples with enormous economic and political challenges. The assurances were given by Ronalth Ochaeta, the Guatemalan Ambassador to the Organization of American States, as he deposited the instruments ratifying the Additional Protocol to the American Convention on Human Rights in the Area of Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, adopted in El Salvador in November 1988. Ambassador Ochaeta urged the nations of the Americas that have not yet done so to "join those of us who believe in and subscribe to international protection of the rights of all human beings." OAS Assistant Secretary General Luigi Einaudi hailed the Guatemalan government for "taking this very important juridical step," and renewed the call for each and every one of the Hemisphere's nations to become party to the hemispheric treaty. "We are confident this well help consolidate our hemispheric principles of institutional democracy based on a common set of individual liberties that are based on respect for the fundamental rights of man." The Additional Protocol in question entered into effect on November 16 last year. The countries that have ratified so far are Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname and Uruguay. Under the provisions of this Additional Protocol, the member states reaffirm their commitment to develop and improve protection of economic, social and cultural rights, on the understanding that the various rights are an indivisible whole and are based on a recognition of human dignity. **********