IACHR Welcomes Full Compliance with the Friendly Settlement Agreement in the Case Involving the Child Pedro Antonio Centurión in Paraguay

May 30, 2024

Washington, D.C. – The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) has decided to declare full compliance with friendly settlement report 130/18, concerning Case 12,699—Pedro Antonio Centurión, Paraguay—and will stop monitoring it.

This case concerns the international responsibility of the Paraguayan State for the forced recruitment of 13-year-old Argentine child Pedro Centurión so he might do his mandatory military service, as well for the boy's death in facilities operated by the Vista Alegre Cavalry Detachment and for the subsequent failure to investigate what happened and to punish the individuals who were responsible for those events.

In August 2011, the parties signed a friendly settlement agreement that was approved by the IACHR in November 2018. During the process to verify the implementation of this friendly settlement agreement, the Commission assessed the measures taken by the Paraguayan State to ensure compliance with the commitments it had made in the agreement. The Commission found that the State had, among others, held a public event to apologize for what had happened and acknowledge its responsibility, provided periodic medical care to the beneficiaries of this agreement, built a house and handed over ownership of it to the victim's family, and paid financial compensation and the pension that would have been due to Pedro Antonio to his mother, Semproniana Centurión, after posthumously promoting the boy.

The most relevant outcomes of the agreement include an event to unveil a plaque and another to build a monolith at the Vista Alegre military facility in remembrance of what happened.

The Commission closely followed the implementation of this friendly settlement and commended both parties on their efforts in negotiations and during the monitoring stage of the agreement. Based on information provided by the parties, the IACHR declared that full compliance had been attained and ended its supervision of compliance with this friendly settlement agreement.

The Commission commends the Paraguayan State on its efforts to solve cases that are taken before the petition and case system through the friendly settlement mechanism and on its work to achieve full implementation of this agreement. The Commission further congratulates the petitioning party for all its efforts to take part in negotiations and to promote this friendly settlement.

Please click here to access the technical information sheet for this case.

A principal, autonomous body of the Organization of American States (OAS), the IACHR derives its mandate from the OAS Charter and the American Convention on Human Rights. The Inter-American Commission has a mandate to promote respect for and to defend human rights in the region and acts as a consultative body to the OAS in this area. The Commission is composed of seven independent members who are elected in an individual capacity by the OAS General Assembly and who do not represent their countries of origin or residence.

No. 119/24

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