VGC Abogados present at the Inter-American Court of Human Rights

We are pleased to share that Joaquín Schäfer, an associate on our firm’s Regulatory Compliance team, made a professional visit to the Inter-American Court of Human Rights. The visit took place during its 187th Regular Session from March 16 to 20, 2026, at the Supreme Federal Court of Brazil in Brasília.

During the public hearings, Advisory Opinion OC-33 was addressed, as requested by Guatemala in December 2024, concerning the protection of democracy before the Inter-American Human Rights System. The debate centered on a key question: Should democracy be recognized as an autonomous human right, or is it merely a form of political organization?

The hearings brought together representatives from states, academic institutions, and civil society organizations, who argued on the interrelationship between democratic standards, institutional frameworks, separation of powers, and regulatory frameworks. Among the five key issues analyzed were the protection of popular will, the limits of judicial action regarding political rights, guarantees for the separation of powers, and mechanisms to ensure peaceful transitions of power.

The involvement of Joaquín Schäfer in these hearings allowed him to contribute to and observe firsthand a significant debate for the development of international human rights law.

VGC Abogados will maintain its presence in the most relevant international forums, contributing to the debates that define the legal standards of our region.