Freedom of Expression

Rapporteur

Catalina Botero
Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression
Telephone: 202-370-4614 | Fax: 202-458-3650

The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights elected Colombian attorney Catalina Botero Marino as Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression in July 2008.

Before assuming the position of Special Rapporteur, Dr. Botero Marino worked as Acting Magistrate and Auxiliary Magistrate in the Constitutional Court of Colombia for 8 years. Previously she has held a number of posts, including: adviser for the Office of the Prosecutor General of the Nation; National Director of the Office for the Promotion of Human Rights in the Office of the People’s Defender of Colombia, Director of the Consultancy for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law at the Social Foundation, and professor and researcher at the Law School of the Universidad de los Andes and other national and international universities. She is the author of several books and essays published in different countries on freedom of expression, constitutional law, international criminal law and transitional justice.

She received her law degree in 1988 at the Universidad de los Andes and did postgraduate studies there, as well as in Madrid, Spain, at Universidad Complutense, Universidad Carlos III, and the Center for Constitutional Studies.

Officials

Flor Elba Castro
Project Officer
fcastro@oas.org | Telephone: 202-370-4627 | Fax: 202-458-3650

Flor Elba Castro is an industrial engineer. She has worked at the IACHR since July 2009, as a project management specialist with the Office of the Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression. From 2004 to 2009, she served as deputy director of planning and international cooperation at the Center for the Study of Law, Justice and Society (Dejusticia) in Colombia. From 2001 to 2004 she was project manager for the Human Rights Promoters Network at the Office of the Ombudsman in Colombia. From 1988 to 2001 she worked as an adviser and director of various areas of public management, specifically in planning and programming, public budget, and international cooperation, specializing in the design, formulation, execution, evaluation, auditing, and management of projects. She has a Master of Business Administration degree and has done postgraduate in studies Transparency and Accountability, and the Fight Against corruption and several courses in human rights.

Lorena Cristina Ramirez
Human Rights Specialist
lcramirez@oas.org | Telephone: 202-370-5082 | Fax: 202-458-3650

Lorena Cristina Ramírez is currently a human rights specialist with the Office of the Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression of the IACHR. She received her law degree Summa Cum Laude in 2002 from the Pontificia Universidad Católica Madre y Maestra (PUCMM) in Dominican Republic. She holds a Masters degree in Fundamental Rights by Universidad Carlos III de Madrid in Spain and subsequently studied a LL.M. (Masters of Laws) at the University of Iowa as a United States Department of State Fulbright Scholarship recipient. Before joining the IACHR she was a practicing lawyer in the Dominican Republic, as well as a professor and researcher for the Pontificia Universidad Católica Madre y Maestra (PUCMM), on the subjects of Constitutional Law, International Law and Human Rights Law. She interned for International NGO Ayuda en Acción in Madrid. Also, she worked as research assistant for the Institute of International Finance and Development of the University of Iowa as well as a Professional Visitor at the Inter-American Court for Human Rights in San José, Costa Rica.

Lisl Brunner
Human Rights Specialist
labrunner@oas.org | Telephone: 202-370-4914 | Fax: 202-458-3650

Lisl Brunner is a human rights specialist with the Commission's Office of the Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression.  She holds a law degree from the University of Pittsburgh, where she was graduated magna cum laude, and a Bachelor of Arts in Government from the College of William & Mary.  She has worked in various posts at the IACHR since 2008 and prior to that, she worked at a Research Assistant at the University of Pittsburgh and in criminal public defense.  She speaks English and Spanish and has published several articles on human rights issues in the Americas.

Victoria Fernandez
Journalist - Fellowship Orlando Sierra
Telephone: 202-370-4443 | Fax: 202-458-3650

Victoria Fernández is an Uruguayan journalist, currently working with the Office of the Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression of the IACHR, under an eleven month fellowship, Orlando Sierra. She studied journalism at Universidad Católica, in Montevideo, Uruguay. From February 2011 to January 2013 she worked for the weekly newspaper Búsqueda, where she was assigned to the coverage of local governments and telecommunications information, and wrote many articles related to the regulation of the media in her country.

Angela Dorantes
Administrative Assistant
Telephone: 202-370-4614 | Fax: 202-458-3992

Angela Dorantes is Administrative Assistant at the Special Rapporteurship for Freedom of Expression since June 2013.