Visits

The Commission conducts visits to Member States both to promote the inter-American human rights standards and to carry out on-the-spot observations. There are three types of visits carried out by the Commission: on-site observations, working and promotional visits.

On-site visits are usually carried out by the Commission plenum and the observations are presented in a country report, published after the visit. On-site visits include trips to different parts of the country and require the State's consent for them to be carried out.

Working visits are characterized by high-level meetings with State authorities and do not necessarily entail on-site observations. At the end of working visits, it is customary to publish a press release with details of the meetings organized. Working visits require the State's consent for them to be carried out.

Promotional visits are carried out to promote inter-American human rights standards. They can include the presence of commissioners in seminars, congresses and other academic or training activities, for example. At the end of promotional visits, no report or press release is published and its realization does not depend on the consent of the State, which is only notified in advance.

2023

Guyana, November 28 to December 1, 2023

The IACHR carried out a technical cooperation and promotional visit to the Cooperative Republic of Guyana from November 28 to December 1, 2023. The visit aimed to strengthen the Commission's relations with the country, promote technical cooperation mechanisms, and provide guidance on human rights standards in keeping with the five-year Strategy for the Caribbean and IACHR’s strategic framework.

The delegation was led by Commissioner Margarette May Macaulay, President of the IACHR and Rapporteur for the Rights of People of African Descent and Against Racism and for the Rights of Older Persons, and Commissioner Roberta Clarke, Second Vice-President and the Country Rapporteur. They were accompanied by specialists of the Executive Secretariat. Activities included high-level State meetings, a dialogue with organizations, and participation in a promotional panel and media broadcast on the Inter-American Human Rights System. The delegation also met with United Nations agencies, CARICOM, and the University of Guyana.

Saint Lucia, June 27 - 30, 2023

The IACHR carried out a technical cooperation and promotional visit to St. Lucia from June 27 to 30, 2023. This visit focused on enhancing the collaboration of the IACHR with State and non-state actors, promoting institutional strengthening through technical cooperation and capacity building on the Inter-American human rights system and its mechanisms, in keeping with the Commission's priorities according to the objectives of its Strategic Plan 2023-2027.

The delegation was led by Commissioner Margarette May Macaulay, who was accompanied by a team of human rights specialists of the Executive Secretariat. During the visit, the delegation met with the executive and legislative branches of government, as well as with non-state actors from civil society. Additionally, training workshops on the Inter-American human rights system were conducted for public officials and civil society organizations.

Suriname, February 6 - 8, 2023

The IACHR carried out a technical cooperation and promotional visit to Suriname from February 6 to 8, 2023, with the objective of strengthening the Commission's relations with the country and promoting the technical cooperation mechanism. The visit also focused on institutional strengthening on human rights standards between state and non-state actors in keeping with the Commission's priorities according to the objectives of its Strategic Plan 2023-2027.

The delegation was led by Commissioner Stuardo Ralón and Commissioner Margarette May Macaulay, who were accompanied by a team of human rights specialists of the Executive Secretariat. During the visit, the delegation met with the executive, the legislature, and the judiciary as well as with non-state actors from civil society, academia, the Bar Association, and with the International Organization of Migration.



2022

Dominica, June 22 - 23, 2022

DominicaThe Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) carried out its first promotional visit to the Commonwealth of Dominica between June 22 and 23, 2022 with the purpose of strengthening and deepening the Commission's collaboration with the State, as well as promoting the Inter-American human rights standards and collecting information on the State's human rights policies. The Commission's visit to Dominica was carried out in keeping with the IACHR's priorities according to the objectives of its Strategic Plan 2017-2021.

During the visit, the delegation met with the Acting Prime Minister of Dominica and authorities from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, International Business and Diaspora Relations, the Ministry of Youth Development and Empowerment, the Electoral Office and the Ministry of National Security and Home Affairs. The delegation also conducted meetings with civil society and international organizations based in Dominica.

The IACHR delegation was led by Commissioner Margarette May Macaulay, second Vice-President, Rapporteur on the Rights of Older Persons and on the Rights of People of African Descent and against Racial Discrimination, as well as Country Rapporteur for Dominica. It also included specialists from the IACHR Executive Secretariat.



2019

Haiti, December 17 - 20, 2019

The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) carried out an on-site visit to Haiti between December 17 and 20, 2019 to observe the human rights situation in the country and strengthen cooperation actions in the area of human rights.

During the visit, the Commission met with the President of the Republic, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Minister of Human Rights and the Fight against Extreme Poverty, the Minister of Justice and Public Security, the National Police and the Minister of the Condition and Rights of Women. In addition, the IACHR held meetings with the Office of Citizen Protection (OPC), the National Office for Migration, and with international organizations and diplomatic authorities from the states of Brazil, Canada, Spain, the United States, France, and the European Union. Likewise, it had meetings with members of more than 70 civil society organizations dedicated to defending the rights of women, LGBTI people, journalists, representatives of victims of police violence and survivors of the La Saline massacre, people deprived of liberty, and victims of other acts of violence in the country.

The delegation was led by Commissioner Flávia Piovesan, Country Rapporteur for Haiti and on the Rights of LGBTI Persons, and comprised of Commissioner Margarette May Macaulay, Rapporteur on the Rights of Women and on the Rights of Afro-descendants and against Racial Discrimination, and staff of the Executive Secretary.

Haiti, June 3 - 4, 2019

The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) visited Haiti on June 3 and 4 to promote dialogue with state authorities and civil society on the human rights situation in the country, while identifying opportunities for collaboration with the IACHR. The delegation was led by the executive secretary, Paulo Abrão, who was accompanied by technical staff from the IACHR executive secretariat.

During the visit, the delegation met with authorities from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Human Rights, the Ministry of Women’s Affairs and Women’s Rights, the Ministry of Justice and Public Security, the Office for Citizen Protection, the Senate, and the Chamber of Deputies. It also met with the Head of Human Rights of the United Nations Mission for Justice Support in Haiti (MINUJUSTH). The delegation held meetings with civil society organizations that are working to defend human rights in the country and discussed the main challenges facing human rights in Haiti.

The Haitian state confirmed that it would be willing to host an IACHR Period of Sessions in 2020. It also expressed interest in establishing a Human Rights Working Group, a mechanism used by the IACHR to promote dialogue between the IACHR itself, the state, and civil society to develop and implement measures on priority human rights issues. The IACHR repeated its request to the state of Haiti to conduct an on-site visit to the country, which it has not done since 2004.

Barbados, Bahamas, Jamaica, and Trinidad and Tobago, February 19 - 28, 2019

The Commission made the fourth working visit to Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, and the Bahamas from February 19 to 28, 2019. The delegation was made up of Commissioners Esmeralda Arosemena de Troitiño and Margarette May Macaulay and two specialists from the thematic rapporteurs on women's rights and children's rights. At the training seminar held in the Bahamas, the Commission understood that a working visit to the English-speaking Caribbean was extremely important in order to understand the local reality, the challenges that still affect the region, and provide cooperation whenever possible. In the case of Barbados, this was the Commission's first visit in almost 60 years.

The main objective of the visit was to strengthen the region's ties with the Inter-American System, which is one of the components of this project, and to address especially the situation of women, girls, and adolescents in these countries.

During this visit, 9 high-level meetings were held with Ministers of State and Permanent Secretaries. The Commission also took the opportunity to organize four meetings with civil society organizations, one in each country. Meetings were also held with experts on gender and children issues, and the Commission also met with international organizations and Canadian High Commissioners in these countries.



2013

Dominican Republic, December 2 - 6, 2013

The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) conducted an on-site visit to the Dominican Republic on December 2-5, 2013, in response to an invitation by the State. The purpose of the visit was to observe the situation related to the rights to nationality, identity, and equal protection without discrimination, along with other related rights and issues. The Commission carried out this visit to oversee compliance with the international commitments made freely by the State of the Dominican Republic in exercise of its sovereignty.

Suriname, January 23 - 25, 2013

The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights undertook a working visit to the Republic of Suriname between January 23-25, 2013 in order to examine the situation of the rights of women and indigenous peoples. The delegation was composed of Commissioner Dinah Shelton, Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples; Commissioner Tracy Robinson, First Vice-President and Rapporteur on the Rights of Women; and staff from the Executive Secretariat.

During the visit, the delegation held meetings with the highest authorities of the Suriname state, and representatives from civil society organizations dedicated to the defense of the rights of indigenous peoples, women and LGBTI persons in the country. Several members of the delegation also traveled to the district of Brokopondo and the village of Brownsweg to visit a Maroon village composed of 8,000 persons. The delegation offered in a workshop attended by approximately fifty government officials on the Inter-American System of Human Rights and an academic event at the Anton de Kom

University, with the participation of law professors and students.



2012

Haiti, February 27 to March 2, 2012

Commissioner Ortiz, in her capacity as Rapporteur on the Rights of the Child, was invited by UNICEF to participate, along with the Chairman of the Committee on the Rights of the Child of the United Nations, on an observation visit on the issue of international adoptions in Haiti. The visit took place February 27 and 28. Also, from February 29 to March 2, Commissioner Ortiz, in her capacity as Rapporteur for Haiti, together with a staff member of the Executive Secretariat, held meetings with authorities, international agencies, and civil society, in which she introduced herself as the new Rapporteur and collected information on various issues.



2009

Haiti, May 24 - 29, 2009

The IACHR conducted a working visit to Haiti May 24-29, 2010. The delegation was led by Commissioner Clare K. Roberts, in his capacity as IACHR Rapporteur for Haiti, and also included human rights specialists Angelita Baeyens and Marie Claude Fornier, as well as Begoña Arellano of UNICEF. The main purpose of the visit was to collect information about citizen security, the human rights situation, and juvenile justice. The visit was organized as part of a joint effort with UNICEF, the regional office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, and the IACHR, in order to prepare special reports on the aforementioned subjects.

In Port-au-Prince, the delegation met with representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor, the Institute of Social Welfare and Research (IBESR), the Minors Protection Division of the Haitian National Police, the Central Direction of the Judiciary Police, the Penitentiary Administration, prison staff, and the Office of Citizen Protection. The delegation also met with two members of the Tribunal for Children. The delegation visited the main office of the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH). It also met with local and international nongovernmental organizations involved in citizen security and juvenile criminal justice issues in Haiti. In addition, the delegation participated in a conference on the IACHR and the inter-American system for the protection of human rights at the State University in Port-au-Prince.

During this working visit, the delegation visited the Haitian National Penitentiary, the Delmas Police Station, the Delmas Detention Center for Minors, the Pétion-Ville Women’s Prison, and the Le Carrefour Shelter for children in Port-au-Prince. On May 27, 2009, the delegation traveled to the city of Gonaïves where it met the Government Commissioner, the Chief of Police, and representatives of civil society. It visited the police station there, which, following a fire at the local prison in 2004, is being used to house detainees and in connection with which the IACHR granted precautionary measures in June 2008.

On June 29, 2009, the IACHR published a press release on its visit to Haiti.



2008

Jamaica, December 1 - 5, 2008

The IACHR delegation that conducted an onsite visit to Jamaica in December 2008 was made up of the Chair of the Commission, Paolo Carozza; its First Vice-Chair, Luz Patricia Mejía; its Second Vice-Chair, Felipe González; Commissioner Sir Clare K. Roberts; the Executive Secretary of the Inter-American Commission, Santiago A. Canton; the Assistant Executive Secretary, Elizabeth Abi-Mershed; attorneys Mario López-Garelli, Angelita Baeyens, and Ismene Zarifis; press director María Isabel Rivero; and assistants Gloria Hansen and Melanie Blackwell.

During the visit, the Commission met with representatives of the government of Jamaica and members of civil society. The IACHR also organized a promotional activity in conjunction with the Ministry of Justice and Jamaicans for Justice, and signed an agreement with the Norman Manley Law School that seeks to deepen and strengthen institutional cooperation to promote awareness of the inter-American human rights system in the Caribbean. At the end of the visit, the Commission issued its preliminary observations . The IACHR is currently preparing a report on the human rights situation in Jamaica.



2007

Haiti, April 16 - 20, 2007

The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights carried out a visit to the Republic of Haiti in April 2007, at the invitation of the government. The delegation was led by Sir Clare K. Roberts, Commissioner and Rapporteur for Haiti, and included staff members of the Executive Secretariat.

During the visit, the IACHR met with representatives of the Haitian government and with members of civil society, as well as with representatives of international organizations. The Commission met with the President of the Republic of Haiti, René Préval, and Prime Minister Jacques Edouard Alexis. It also met with the President of the Supreme Court.

At the end of its visit the IACHR issued Press Release 24/07 .



2004

Haiti, September 1, 2004 to July 15, 2005

In 2004 and 2005, the IACHR made three visits to Haiti, at the invitation of the government and with the financial support of the government of France: the first on September 1-3, 2004 ; the second, April 18-22, 2005 ; and the third, July 11-15, 2005 . During these visits, the Commission’s delegations sought to obtain information about the situation involving human rights protection mechanisms in Haiti following the events of February 2004, as well as the special situation involving the administration of justice in the country. The Commission had also carried out a visit to Haiti August 18-22, 2003, at the invitation of the State.

The IACHR delegations met with representatives of the transitional government; the Conseil des Sages; judges from the Court of First Instance, the Court of Appeal, and the Supreme Court; members of civil society; associations of judges, attorneys, and magistrates; and representatives of other international bodies, including MINUSTAH and the United Nations Development Programme. They also visited the National Penitentiary and other relevant establishments and collected the appropriate documentation. During the course of these visits, the Commission also held three training seminars on the inter-American human rights system with authorities and personnel from various ministries and governmental organizations, as well as representatives of various nongovernmental organizations.

The observations made during these visits were included in the report Haiti: Failed Justice or the Rule of Law? Challenges for Haiti and the International Community .



2003

Haiti, August 18 - 22, 2003

On August 22, 2003 ended a visit to Haiti by the Commission, held at the invitation of the Government to observe the situation of human rights. The delegation was composed by the President of the Commission, Commissioner Marta Altolaguirre; Second Vice President of the IACHR and Rapporteur for Haiti Commissioner Clare Kamau Roberts. They were accompanied by Mario López Garelli and Bernard Duhaime, human rights attorneys from the Executive Secretariat of the IACHR. During the visit, the Commission met with senior members of the Haitian government, including Prime Minister Yvon Neptune, as well as members of civil society and representatives of local authorities. The visit took place in the cities of Port-au Prince, Cap Haitian and Gonaïves and focused particularly on the administration of justice, the rule of law and impunity.

On August 22, the Commission published a press release 24/03 on the visit to Haiti.



2000

Haiti, August 21 - 25, 2000

On August 25, 2000, the IACHR concluded on onsite visit it had made to Haiti, at the invitation of the government, in order to observe the human rights situation in that country. Participating in the visit were the Chair of the Commission, Hélio Bicudo; Commissioners Peter Laurie and Julio Prado Vallejo; and Executive Secretary Jorge E. Taiana, Assistant Executive Secretary David J. Padilla, and attorneys Bertha Santoscoy and Raquel Poitevien Cabral.

In Press Release 11/00 , issued at the end of the visit, the IACHR underscored the dramatic day-to-day circumstances experienced by the Haitian people, the chronic weakness of government institutions, and the challenges Haiti faced to achieve the effective observance of human rights.



1997

Dominican Republic, June 16 - 20, 1997

The IACHR carried out an onsite visit to the Dominican Republic in June 1997 in order to observe the human rights situation in that country. The delegation was composed of the Chair of the IACHR, John S. Donaldson; the Rapporteur for the Dominican Republic, Commissioner Claudio Grossman; Commissioner Álvaro Tirado Mejía; the Executive Secretary, Jorge E. Taiana; and staff of the Executive Secretariat.

During its visit, the Special Commission met with the President of the Republic, Leonel Fernández Reyna, as well as with other State authorities, international organizations, and nongovernmental organizations, and visited detention centers. Working meetings were also held in reference to petitions and cases.

Following this visit, the IACHR published the Report on the Situation of Human Rights in the Dominican Republic , which was approved on October 7, 1999. In its 2001 Annual Report, the IACHR published a Follow-up Report on the State’s compliance with the recommendation in that report.



1994

Haiti, May 16 - 20, 1994

The visit to Haiti took place May 16-20, 1994. The Commission’s delegation was composed of Commissioners Patrick Robinson, John Donaldson, and Claudio Grossman, as well as Executive Secretary Edith Márquez Rodríguez and attorneys Bertha Santoscoy-Noro, Relinda Eddie, and Isabel Ricupero.

During its visit, the Commission met with the Prime Minister, Robert Malval, and other government authorities. The IACHR also met with the Coordinator of the former Presidential Commission, Father Antoine Adrien, and with representatives of nongovernmental organizations, including popular grassroots bodies; human rights groups; leaders of various political parties; and representatives of the media, the industrial sector, and different churches. The lack of authorization prevented the delegation from visiting the National Penitentiary of Port-au-Prince and gaining firsthand information on the legal situation of prisoners and on the general conditions in which the detention center is maintained. The Commission heard testimony from a large number of victims of human rights violations, breaking up into five groups to be able to see everyone and working in clandestine locations due to the fear that people expressed in being identified.

In addition, on May 22-27, 1994, a delegation of the IACHR visited The Bahamas to learn about the situation of Haitian refugees in that country. The delegation was composed of the Chair, Michael Reisman; Commissioners Leo Valladares Lanza and John Donaldson; the Executive Secretary, Edith Márquez Rodríguez; the Assistant Executive Secretary, David Padilla; and human rights specialist Relinda Eddie. The delegation visited Haitian settlements in Grand Abaco (Marsh Harbour, Treasure Cay), Grand Bahama (Freeport), Eleuthera, and New Providence, as well as the Carmichael Road Detention camp.

On February 9, 1995, the IACHR approved the Report on the Situation of Human Rights in Haiti .



1993

Haiti, August 23 - 27, 1993

The IACHR visited Haiti August 23-27, 1993. The delegation was composed of the Vice-Chair of the IACHR, Michael Reisman; Commissioners Oliver Jackman, Marco Tulio Bruni Celli, Leo Valladares Lanza, and Patrick Robinson; the Assistant Executive Secretary, David Padilla; and human rights specialists Bertha Santoscoy, Relinda Eddie, and Meredith Caplan.

The IACHR delegation met with the Prime Minister, Robert Malval, and with representatives of some of the main political parties. It also held meetings with members of the OAS/UN Civilian Mission, representatives of nongovernmental human rights organizations, the Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces, Raoul Cédras, and Army headquarters staff . It also met with several members of Parliament, representatives of the news media, union leaders, and religious authorities. The IACHR took testimony from victims of human rights violation on the part of members of the military. Divided into subgroups, the IACHR delegation visited the interior of the country, including the Central Plateau region and the regions of Artibonite and Gonaives, among others. It visited the Port-au-Prince Penitentiary and also received complaints about human rights violations.

On February 11, 1994, the IACHR approved the Report on the Situation of Human Rights in Haiti .



1991

Haiti, December 5 - 7, 1991

The Commission conducted a working visit to Haiti December 5-7, 1991. The delegation was composed of Commission Chair Patrick L. Robinson, Vice-Chair Marco Tulio Bruni Celli, and human rights specialists Bertha Santoscoy-Noro and Luis Jiménez. The delegation met with the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Worship, Jean-Jacques Honorat, and other authorities, as well as with representatives of human rights organizations and political parties. It also visited the "La famille c’est la vie" Children's Assistance Center and met with representatives of the media and representatives of trade unions and the Church, among others.



1990

Haiti, April 17 - 29, 1990

The IACHR carried out a visit to Haiti April 17-20, 1990. The delegation was composed of Commission Chair Oliver H. Jackman, Vice-Chair Leo Valladares, and Commissioner Patrick L. Robinson, as well as Assistant Executive Secretary David J. Padilla and human rights specialists Luis F. Jiménez and Bertha Santoscoy.

The IACHR met with the President of Haiti, Ertha Pascal Trouillot, and other officials. It also met with representatives of human rights organizations and political parties, and talked to representatives of the press in order to learn about the state of freedom of expression. It also met with Haitian jurists and with representatives of trade unions, the industrial sector, the Chamber of Commerce, and the Church, as well as with other community leaders. The delegation traveled to Pont Sondé, St. Marc, and Piatre, where it obtained information about human rights violations and was able to observe the serious damage inflicted on the latter community. It also gave hearings to individuals from different social strata, from whom it received complaints, communications, and reports concerning respect for human rights.

On May 8, 1990, the IACHR approved the Report on the Situation of Human Rights in Haiti .



1988

Haiti, August 29 to September 2, 1988

The IACHR carried out a visit to Haiti August 29-September 2, 1988. The delegation was unable to meet with the President of the military government, Henri Namphy, but it met with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, General Hérard Abraham; the Minister of Justice, Brigadier General Fritz Antoine; and the Minister of Interior and National Defense, General Williams Regala, among others. Moreover, meetings were held with human rights organizations, political leaders, members of the written and oral press, and authorities of religious organizations, and with the commercial and labor sector. The delegation also traveled to St. Marc, Pont Sondé, Petite Riviere, Thomonde, Papaye, and Hinche, in order to verify the human rights situation in the interior of Haiti.

On September 7, 1988, the Commission approved the Report on the Situation of Human Rights in Haiti.



1985

Suriname, January 12 - 18, 1985

The IACHR carried out a visit to Suriname January 12-18, 1985. The delegation met with Acting Prime Minister E.L. Tjon Kie Sin and the Acting President of the Republic, L.P. Ramdat Misier; the Acting Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, Oosterling; and a number of Cabinet members. The IACHR devoted at least half its time to private visits with religious, political, labor, press, university, and professional leaders. It also received a number of private citizens who wished to lodge complaints of human rights violations in the country. The delegation also traveled to the interior of the country and visited the Driettabeje community and the village of Tepoe, among other places.

On October 2, 1985, the IACHR approved the Second Report on the Human Rights Situation in Suriname .



1983

Suriname, June 20 - 24, 1983

The IACHR carried out a visit to Suriname June 20-24, 1983, at the invitation of the government. The delegation was composed of Commissioners Andrés Aguilar, Francisco Bertrand Galindo, and Tom J. Farer; the Executive Secretary, Edmundo Vargas Carreño; specialists Ernst Brea, Christina Cerna, and Diana Decker; and Claudio Grossman, as special adviser.

On October 6, 1983, the IACHR approved the Report on the Human Rights Situation in Suriname .



1978

Haiti, August 16 - 25, 1978

The IACHR visited Haiti August 16-25, 1978, at the invitation of the government of Haiti. The delegation was composed of the Chair of the Commission, Andrés Aguilar; Commissioners Carlos García Bauer and Marco Monroy Cabra; and staff of the IACHR Executive Secretariat.

The IACHR visited the city of Port-au-Prince and two cities in the interior of the country, Cap Haitien and Jacmel. The Commission met with the President of the Republic, Jean-Claude Duvalier, and other authorities of the three branches of government, as well as with Metropolitan Office of the Archbishop, members of the diplomatic corps accredited to the Haitian government, civil society representatives, and local authorities, both civilian and military. The delegation received complaints and heard testimony from inhabitants of Haiti, as well as from spokespersons from a number of religious groups and representatives of professional and student associations, unions, and public and civic organizations. It visited the National Penitentiary of Port-au-Prince and local prisons in Cap Haitien and Jacmel, and was able to talk to prisoners freely and in private, including those who had expressed their desire to lodge complaints. The Commission also visited a number of factories, including Ciment d’Haiti, where there had been recent labor disputes, and met separately and in private with management, workers, and union leaders.

On September 13, 1979, the IACHR approved the Report on the Situation of Human Rights in Haiti .



1965

Dominican Republic, November 1, 1965 to July 7, 1966

The Commission carried out a visit to the Dominican Republic in 1966, at the invitation of the President of the provisional government, Héctor García Godoy. The purpose of the visit was to observe the human rights situation during the process of political normalization. The delegation was composed of Commission Chair Manuel Banchi and Commissioners Ángela Acuña de Chacón, Carlos A. Dunshee de Abranches, Daniel Hugo Martins, and Durward V. Sandifer. The Commission traveled throughout the interior of the country and visited prisons such as La Victoria and Bonao Prison, in addition to meeting with authorities and civil society representatives.

The IACHR approved the report on this visit on October 28, 1966.

Dominican Republic, June 1 to September 5, 1965

On June 1, 1965, the IACHR began a visit to the Dominican Republic. The delegation was composed of the Chair of the Commission, Manuel Bianchi, and Commissioners Carlos Alberto Dunshee de Abranches, Ángela Acuña de Chacón, and Durward V. Sandifer, as well as IACHR Executive Secretary Luis Reque and human rights specialists Isidoro Zanotti, Renzo Minut, Álvaro Gómez, and Guillermo Cabrera. The IACHR carried out the visit to examine the human rights situation in the country, after being asked to do so by the so-called Constitutional Government and the so-called Government for National Reconstruction, both of which had been installed following the start, on April 24, 1965, of a movement that affected the country’s stability and led to the deaths of thousands of people and innumerable human rights violations. The IACHR met with the President of the Constitutional Government, Francisco Camaño, and with the President of the Government of National Reconstruction, Antonio Imbert Barrera. The Commission also visited San Francisco de Macorís, San Pedro de Macorís, La Vega, Barahona, Baní, Isla Beata, Santiago de los Caballeros, Puerto Plata, San Cristóbal, the Haina Naval Base and Las Calderas Naval Base, Azua, and Monte Plata, in order to observe the human rights situation in those cities and locales.

On October 15, 1965, the Commission approved the Report on the Actions of the Inter-American Commission of Human Rights in the Dominican Republic (Spanish only).