OEA - Documento ACTAS-S C 28 25 de 2025

OEA/Ser.G CP/ACTA 2421/23 29 marzo 2023

ACTA DE LA SESIÓN EXTRAORDINARIA

DEL CONSEJO PERMANENTE DE LA

ORGANIZACIÓN DE LOS ESTADOS AMERICANOS

CELEBRADA EL 29 DE MARZO DE 2023

Transcripción corregida

Esta transcripción corregida se somete a la aprobación del Consejo Permanente. Una vez aprobada, constituirá la versión final del acta.

CONSEJO PERMANENTEiii

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Nómina de los miembros que asistieron a la sesión ..................................................................................1

Aprobación del proyecto de orden del día ................................................................................................3

Lucha contra la intolerancia y la discriminación en la región ...................................................................4

Reflexión colectiva sobre la Convención Interamericana contra el Racismo, la Discriminación Racial y Formas Conexas de Intolerancia y la Convención Interamericana contra Toda Forma de Discriminación e Intolerancia ................................................. 13

Diálogo entre los Estados Miembros ...................................................................................................... 17

Palabras de clausura y conclusiones a cargo de la Secretaría de Acceso a Derechos y Equidad de la Organización de los Estados Americanos .................................................. 32CONSEJO PERMANENTE DE LA ORGANIZACIÓN DE LOS ESTADOS AMERICANOS

ACTA DE LA SESIÓN EXTRAORDINARIA

CELEBRADA EL 29 DE MARZO DE 2023

En la ciudad de Washington, D. C., a las diez y doce de la mañana del miércoles 29 de marzo de

ACTA DE LA SESIÓN EXTRAORDINARIA

CELEBRADA EL 29 DE MARZO DE 2023

En la ciudad de Washington, D. C., a las diez y doce de la mañana del miércoles 29 de marzo de 2023, celebró sesión extraordinaria el Consejo Permanente de la Organización de los Estados Americanos para considerar el tema “Aportes de los Estados Miembros para contrarrestar la intoleranc ia y la discriminación en la región”. Presidió la sesión el Embajador Anthony Phillips -Spencer, Representante Permanente de Trinidad y Tobago y Presidente del Consejo Permanente. Asistieron los siguientes miembros:

Embajadora María del Carmen Roquebert León, Representante Permanente de Panamá y Vicepresidenta del Consejo Permanente Embajadora Lou -Anne Gaylene Gilchrist, Representante Permanente de San Vicente y las Granadinas Embajadora Rita Claverie de Sciolli, Representante Permanente de Guatemala Embajadora Yolande Yvonne Smith, Representante Permanente de Grenada Embajadora Luz Elena Baños Rivas, Representante Permanente de México Embajador Josué Antinoe Fiallo Billini, Representante Permanente de la República Dominicana Embajador Carlos Alberto Raimundi, Representante Permanente de la Argentina Embajadora Alejandra Solano Cabalceta, Representante Permanente de Costa Rica Embajador Lynn Raymond Young, Representante Permanente de Belize Embajador Samuel Hinds, Representante Permanente de Guyana Embajador Leon Charles, Representante Permanente de Haití Embajador Chet Donovan Neymour, Representante Permanente del Commonwealth de las Bahamas Embajadora Elizabeth Darius-Clarke, Representante Permanente de Santa Lucía Embajador Carlos Roberto Quesada López, Representante Permanente de Honduras

Embajador Chet Donovan Neymour, Representante Permanente del Commonwealth de las Bahamas Embajadora Elizabeth Darius-Clarke, Representante Permanente de Santa Lucía Embajador Carlos Roberto Quesada López, Representante Permanente de Honduras Embajador Sebastián Kraljevich Chadwick, Representante Permanente de Chile Embajador Luis Ernesto Vargas, Representante Permanente de Colombia Embajador Francisco O. Mora, Representante Permanente de los Estados Unidos Consejera Sonia Rosita Boddie-Thompson, Representante Interina de Saint Kitts y Nevis Ministra Consejera Joy-Dee Davis Lake, Representante Alterna de Antigua y Barbuda Segunda Secretaria Juanita Cleopatra Santusha Lont, Representante Alterna de Suriname Embajador Wendy Jeannette Acevedo Castillo, Representante Alterna de El Salvador Ministra Consejera Alicia Arbelbide Costas, Representante Alterna del Uruguay Ministro Aurimar Jacobino de Barros Nunes, Representante Alterno del Brazil Primer Secretario Lucio Edgar Mamani Quispe, Representante Alterno de Bolivia Consejera Venessa Ramhit-Ramroop, Representante Alterna de Trinidad y Tobago Ministro Consejero José Roberto Rodríguez Bustamante, Representante Alterno del Perú Ministro Gonzalo Vicente Vega Mera, Representante Alterno de Ecuador Primera Secretaria Maude Kostine, Representante Alterna del Canadá Ministra Nicholette Erane Simoni Williams, Representante Alterna de Jamaica Ministra Cecilia Pérez Rivas, Representante Alterna del Paraguay Comandante Ryan Richard Alleyne, Agregado, Misión Permanente de Barbados2También estuvo presente el Secretario General Adjunto, Embajador Nestor Mendez, Secretario del Consejo Permanente.- 3El PRESIDENTE: Good morning, esteemed colleagues. Following the verification of the

También estuvo presente el Secretario General Adjunto, Embajador Nestor Mendez, Secretario del Consejo Permanente.- 3El PRESIDENTE: Good morning, esteemed colleagues. Following the verification of the quorum by the Assistant Secretary General, I am pleased to declare open this special meeting of the Permanent Council, convened pursuant to Article 14 of the Statutes of the Permanent Cou ncil and Article 37 of its Rules of Procedure.

The meeting has been convened in response to the request made by the Permanent Missions of Antigua and Barbuda, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, and Uruguay to consider the topic “Input from Member States for Countering Intolerance and Discrimination in the Region.” We consider this topic this morning in compliance with the mandate of AG/RES. 2991 (LII -O/22), adopted by the General Assembly of the Organization of American States in October 2022.

APROBACIÓN DEL PROYECTO DE ORDEN DEL DÍA

El PRESIDENTE: In accordance with Article 43 of the Rules of Procedure, we will now proceed to adopt the order of business for this meeting, which has been circulated as document CP/OD2421/23.

[El proyecto de orden del día contiene los siguientes puntos:

1. Aprobación del orden del día (CP/OD-2421/23)

2. Lucha contra la intolerancia y la discriminación en la región

• Alocuciones de:

 Embajadora Luz Elena Baños Rivas, Representante Permanente de México  Comisionada Roberta Clarke, Segunda Vicepresidenta y Relatora sobre los Derechos de las Personas LGBTI, Comisión Interamericana de Derechos Humanos  Señora Alison Treppel, Secretaria Ejecutiva del Comité Interamericano contra el Terrorismo

los Derechos de las Personas LGBTI, Comisión Interamericana de Derechos Humanos  Señora Alison Treppel, Secretaria Ejecutiva del Comité Interamericano contra el Terrorismo  Señor Carlos Quesada, Director Ejecutivo y Fundador del Instituto Internacional sobre Raza, Igualdad y Derechos Humanos

3. Reflexión colectiva sobre la Convención Interamericana contra el Racismo, la Discriminación Racial y Formas Conexas de Intolerancia y la Convención Interamericana contra Toda Forma de Discriminación e Intolerancia, y su utilidad para las democracias y economías de la región • Presentaciones a cargo de:  Señor Kwame W. E. McCoy, Ministro de Relaciones Públicas de la Oficina del Primer Ministro de Guyana  Señora Ana Margarita González, Gerente de Justicia Étnico Racial de la Vicepresidencia de la República de Colombia

 Señora Rosa Méndez, Gerente del Área de Promoción Sociocultural, Dirección de Desarrollo Social, Ministerio de Desarrollo Social del Uruguay

4. Diálogo entre los Estados Miembros45. Palabras de clausura y conclusiones a cargo de la señora Maricarmen Plata, Secretaria de Acceso a Derechos y Equidad.]

If there are no observations or requests for the floor—and seeing none—we can therefore now proceed to adopt the order of business without amendment.

Adopted.

LUCHA CONTRA LA INTOLERANCIA Y LA DISCRIMINACIÓN EN LA REGIÓN

El PRESIDENTE: We move now to the next item in the order of business. Esteemed colleagues, discrimination and intolerance have plagued the Americas for far too long. They remain

LUCHA CONTRA LA INTOLERANCIA Y LA DISCRIMINACIÓN EN LA REGIÓN

El PRESIDENTE: We move now to the next item in the order of business. Esteemed colleagues, discrimination and intolerance have plagued the Americas for far too long. They remain pervasive issues which have led to marginalization and disenfranchisement of various social g roups, including Afro-descendant populations and Indigenous peoples.

In Latin America and the Caribbean, there are up to 40 million Indigenous peoples who comprise around 400 ethnic groups, each with their own distinctive languages, customs, and worldviews, and varying experiences of socioeconomic integration within their r espective societies. Persons of African descent account for around 150 million in the Hemisphere, which represents about 30% of the total population of the region.

Unfortunately, in many of our societies, Afro-descendant populations and Indigenous peoples find themselves among the groups in situations of vulnerability and are overrepresented in the statistics of facing the highest poverty rates and economic hardships . After centuries of exclusion and suppression, it is imperative that we redress the wrongs of the past and dismantle discriminatory societal structures. We must take every possible action to create a society that is truly inclusive and that accepts all.

In this regard, I want to reiterate the mandates set forth in resolution entitled “Promotion and Protection of Human Rights,” approved on October 7, 2022. This resolution urges member states to ratify the Inter -American Convention against Racism, Racial Di scrimination, and Related Forms of Intolerance, and the Inter-American Convention against All Forms of Discrimination and Intolerance. By doing so, we can move closer to creating a Hemisphere where everyone can live with dignity and respect.

As members of this august Organization, it is our responsibility to promote and adhere to these conventions. Today’s Permanent Council meeting will provide a space for reflection on these pressing issues and will seek to improve member states’ understandin g of how to confront and address these problems at the national and regional levels.

As members of this august Organization, it is our responsibility to promote and adhere to these conventions. Today’s Permanent Council meeting will provide a space for reflection on these pressing issues and will seek to improve member states’ understandin g of how to confront and address these problems at the national and regional levels.

In that context, we are privileged to have the participation of distinguished speakers this morning, who will share with us their insightful perspectives on their work in this area. Distinguished presenters, we thank you for your presence today.- 5Esteemed colleagues, before proceeding with the presentations, I am obliged to extend, on behalf of the Permanent Council, our deepest gratitude to the Permanent Mission of Mexico and the co-sponsoring delegations for placing this topic on today’s agenda.

As we all know, we have a long day ahead of us, and I take this opportunity to kindly request that our panelists adhere to the allotted time for their presentations. Your cooperation will ensure that we have quite an engaging and interactive dialogue.

Dear colleagues, we now follow the order of business, and the list of speakers, and, therefore, I am pleased to offer the floor first to Her Excellency, Ambassador Luz Elena Baños, Permanent Representative of Mexico.

Ambassador Baños, welcome, and you have the floor.

La REPRESENTANTE PERMANENTE DE MÉXICO: Muchas gracias, señor Presidente.

Antes que nada, quiero expresar, en nombre del Gobierno de México, el más sentido pésame por el lamentable fallecimiento de treinta y ocho personas migrantes en el área de alojamiento de la estancia provisional de Ciudad Juárez, en el estado de Chihuahua. Enviamos nuestras más sentidas condolencias a sus familias y seres queridos. México lleva a cabo las investigaciones necesarias para que esa tragedia no quede impune y facilita todos los servicios y apoyos correspondientes para las víctimas y sus familias.

condolencias a sus familias y seres queridos. México lleva a cabo las investigaciones necesarias para que esa tragedia no quede impune y facilita todos los servicios y apoyos correspondientes para las víctimas y sus familias.

Señor Presidente, solicito un minuto de silencio por esa lamentable pérdida de vidas humanas de nuestros hermanos y hermanas de Colombia, Ecuador, Guatemala, El Salvador y Venezuela.

[El Consejo, de pie, observa un minuto de silencio.]

El PRESIDENTE: Thank you.

La REPRESENTANTE PERMANENTE DE MÉXICO: Señor Presidente, reciba nuestro agradecimiento y reconocimiento por la convocatoria a esta sesión extraordinaria, destinada a recoger los aportes de los Estados Miembros para contrarrestar la intolerancia y la discriminación en la región.

México agradece a Antigua y Barbuda, Bolivia, Brasil, Colombia, Guyana y Uruguay por impulsar esta sesión. Agradezco a la Segunda Vicepresidenta de la Comisión Interamericana de Derechos Humanos y Relatora sobre los Derechos de las Personas LGBTI, Comision ada Roberta Clarke, así como a la Secretaria Ejecutiva del Comité Interamericano contra el Terrorismo, Alison Treppel, por su valiosa participación.

De igual manera, México reconoce la colaboración de la organización civil Raza e Igualdad, así como la presencia de su Director Ejecutivo y fundador Carlos Quesada, cuyo activismo y consideraciones contribuyen cotidianamente al trabajo en favor de la igualdad y el acceso y protección de todos los derechos para todas las personas.

A la Secretaria de Acceso a Derechos y Equidad, Maricarmen Plata, le expreso nuestro

consideraciones contribuyen cotidianamente al trabajo en favor de la igualdad y el acceso y protección de todos los derechos para todas las personas.

A la Secretaria de Acceso a Derechos y Equidad, Maricarmen Plata, le expreso nuestro reconocimiento por su constante labor, y la de su equipo, en apoyo a los proyectos que buscan visibilizar y materializar los mandatos de los Estados Miembros.- 6Mi Delegación ha promovido esta sesión porque la discriminación y todas sus expresiones son un flagelo cuya erradicación requiere un esfuerzo jurídico y político constante en nuestros países, sociedades e instituciones. Consecuentemente, con el compromiso de reconocimiento y respeto de la dignidad humana, el Estado mexicano ratificó la Convención Interamericana contra Toda Forma de Discriminación e Intolerancia y la Convención Interamericana contra el Racismo, la Discriminación Racial y Formas Conexas de In tolerancia en octubre de 2019 y depositó los respectivos instrumentos de ratificación en enero de 2020.

Al ser el segundo país que ratificó la Convención Interamericana contra toda forma de Discriminación e Intolerancia, México posibilitó su entrada en vigor, por lo cual ambas convenciones forman parte del orden jurídico interamericano vigente.

El valor de estas convenciones y su contenido constituyen una aportación reconocida por sus alcances y, en el caso particular de la Convención Interamericana contra toda forma de Discriminación e Intolerancia, por su carácter vanguardista.

Los Estados Miembros de la Organización de los Estados Americanos nos hemos dotado de la oportunidad de pertenecer a la práctica universalmente más avanzada para erradicar todas las formas de discriminación e intolerancia.

e Intolerancia, por su carácter vanguardista.

Los Estados Miembros de la Organización de los Estados Americanos nos hemos dotado de la oportunidad de pertenecer a la práctica universalmente más avanzada para erradicar todas las formas de discriminación e intolerancia.

En el contexto actual de nuestra región, donde se observa una creciente manifestación de expresiones múltiples y agravadas de discriminación y racismo que incrementan la violencia y acentúan la exclusión y las desigualdades, la Convención Interamericana contra Toda Forma de Discriminación e Intolerancia y la Convención Interamericana contra el Racismo, la Discriminación Racial y Formas Conexas de Intolerancia adquieren una dimensión estratégica para responder a las amenazas derivadas de los discursos y crím enes de odio de las ideas supremacistas, de la xenofobia, la homofobia, la transfobia y cualquier otra manifestación de discriminación e intolerancia.

Como parte de nuestro compromiso colectivo para alcanzar democracias incluyentes, la Delegación de México mantiene una campaña permanente para exhortar a los Estados Miembros a ratificar o adherirse a estas dos convenciones.

Hacemos votos para que pronto alcancemos las diez ratificaciones que son necesarias para convocar a la primera reunión del Comité Interamericano para la Prevención y Eliminación del Racismo, la Discriminación Racial y Todas las Formas de Discriminación e Intolerancia, con el fin de robustecer los mecanismos de protección y seguimiento interamericanos que garanticen la seguridad, protección y pleno desarrollo de todas las personas sin discriminación y con igualdad de acceso a sus derechos y oportunidades.

Muchas gracias, señor Presidente.

El PRESIDENTE: Thank you very much for your insightful lead -off remarks, Ambassador

protección y pleno desarrollo de todas las personas sin discriminación y con igualdad de acceso a sus derechos y oportunidades.

Muchas gracias, señor Presidente.

El PRESIDENTE: Thank you very much for your insightful lead -off remarks, Ambassador

Baños.

I now request that the Secretariat show the intervention prepared for delivery by Commissioner Roberta Clarke, Second Vice President and Rapporteur on the Rights of LGBTI Persons of the InterAmerican Commission of Human Rights. Please proceed, Secretariat.- 7La SEGUNDA VICEPRESIDENTA Y RELATORA SOBRE LOS DERECHOS DE LAS PERSONAS LGBTI DE LA COMISIÓN INTERAMERICANA DE DERECHOS HUMANOS: Ambassador Anthony Phillips-Spencer, Chair of the Permanent Council; Mr. Luis Almagro, Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS); Mr. Nestor Mendez, Assistant Secretary General of the OAS; permanent and alternative representatives of the member states and observers; colleagues from the OAS; and friends from civil society.

I am grateful for the invitation to participate today in this special meeting of the Permanent Council. My name is Roberta Clarke, I am Second Vice President of the Inter -American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR), and I also serve as Rapporteur on the rights of LGBTI persons.

In my intervention today, I will share information about two very important inter -American instruments to fight against discrimination and intolerance, and I will also urge their ratification.

The mandate of the IACHR is to promote and protect human rights, and we are especially interested in defending and promoting equality and non-discrimination across this region. We think this is especially important in this Hemisphere, with our histories of extreme forms of discrimination, exploitation, and marginalization of Indigenous persons, as well as people of African descent brought to this region through enslavement.

The long shadow of racism and discrimination stalks our peoples, and we now understand more

is especially important in this Hemisphere, with our histories of extreme forms of discrimination, exploitation, and marginalization of Indigenous persons, as well as people of African descent brought to this region through enslavement.

The long shadow of racism and discrimination stalks our peoples, and we now understand more about discrimination and exclusion against other populations, including persons living with disabilities, and persons of diverse sexual orientations, gender identities, and gender expressions.

The Inter-American Convention against Racism, Racial Discrimination, and Related Forms of Intolerance, and the Inter -American Convention against All Forms of Discrimination and Intolerance are novel treaties on the human rights guarantees against discrimin ation and for the promotion of equality.

The Inter-American Convention against Racism, Racial Discrimination, and Related Forms of Intolerance sets forth important advancements aimed at completely eradicating racism and racial discrimination, as well as hate crimes committed for reasons of ethno -racial background. This Convention is the first in the inter -American system to address these issues. It also recognizes that people of African descent, Indigenous peoples, and other ethnic -racial minorities are victims of discrimination and, therefore, are entitled to special protections—not just subject to them, but entitled to them, to repair past and continuing harms.

In this sense, in order to make visible ethno -racial forms of discrimination that had not been previously addressed in other inter -American treaties, this Convention includes the definitions of racism and racial discrimination; it defines indirect racial d iscrimination; it defines intolerance; it speaks to multiple or aggravated discrimination —let us think about that as intersectionality —and it outlines special measures or affirmative actions that states are obligated to adopt to repair harm and to prevent the repetition of discrimination across all spheres.

Likewise, the Convention establishes the duties of the States Parties with respect to public or private actors. States therefore have obligations to protect, respect, and to fulfill human rights under the treaty. The Convention also speaks of the mechanisms for monitoring its implementation.- 8Likewise, the Convention establishes the duties of the States Parties with respect to public or private actors. States therefore have obligations to protect, respect, and to fulfill human rights under the treaty. The Convention also speaks of the mechanisms for monitoring its implementation.- 8With regard to the Inter -American Convention against All Forms of Discrimination and Intolerance, it represents the commitment of member states to promote pluralistic and democratic societies that respect the cultural, linguistic, religious, gender, and sexual identity of all persons, without discrimination, whether or not they belong to a minority.

As I said before, the Convention prohibits discrimination on multiple grounds: age, nationality, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, language, religion, cultural identity, political opinions, social origins, socioeconomic status, educational level, disability, and health conditions, among others.

Like the Inter -American Convention against Racism, Racial Discrimination, and Related Forms of Intolerance, the Inter -American Convention against All Forms of Discrimination and Intolerance protects both against cases of direct and indirect discrimination, in both the private and public spheres. This is important because we know discrimination is not always overt or public or explicit, and many forms of discrimination are indirect. In other words, actions that seem on their face equal may have a disproportionate negative impact on historically marginalized populations.

Both conventions also encourage affirmative actions or special measures to be adopted for the purpose of ensuring equal enjoyment or exercise of the fundamental freedoms and human rights of groups requiring protection—but also entitled to reparations. Thes e measures are not intended to lead to the maintenance of separate rights for different groups, but to recognize and counteract historic, structural, and systematic forms of exclusion and discrimination which persist. We know they persist because these are groups that experience poverty disproportionately, experience violence disproportionately, and face economic exclusion disproportionally. So, these special measures or affirmative actions are intended to achieve substantive—and not just formal—equality.

I must raise my concern over the low rate of ratifications by OAS member states. While both

disproportionately, and face economic exclusion disproportionally. So, these special measures or affirmative actions are intended to achieve substantive—and not just formal—equality.

I must raise my concern over the low rate of ratifications by OAS member states. While both conventions were adopted and open for signature and ratification back in 2013, the Inter -American Convention against Racism, Racial Discrimination, and Related Forms of Intolerance entered into force only in 2017. It has been signed by twelve states but only ratified by six to date: Costa Rica, Uruguay, Antigua and Barbuda, Ecuador, Mexico, and Brazil.

Regarding the Inter -American Convention against All Forms of Discrimination and Intolerance, it was also adopted for ratification in 2013 but only entered into force much later in 2020. It has been signed by twelve states—Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Haiti, Panama, Peru, Mexico, and Uruguay —but only ratified by two states to date: Uruguay and Mexico.

In conclusion, the IACHR remains fully committed to providing advisory assistance and technical cooperation to support the ratification of these conventions, as well as their effective application and implementation.

I close by encouraging all OAS member states to ratify both conventions. Please ratify them. This is a region that must lead in ending discrimination because our history is so replete with expressions of discrimination, violence, stigmatization, and intole rance. We must therefore lead the way in ending racist discrimination and all forms of discrimination and intolerance.- 9I want to thank the Permanent Council for this invitation to be with you today to promote the ratification of these instruments—and, beyond their ratification, to promote their effective application and implementation. I will conclude by saying that this is our shared moral duty.

Thank you very much.

El PRESIDENTE: I ask the Executive Secretariat of the Inter -American Commission on Human Rights to convey our appreciation to the Second Vice President and Rapporteur on the Rights

and implementation. I will conclude by saying that this is our shared moral duty.

Thank you very much.

El PRESIDENTE: I ask the Executive Secretariat of the Inter -American Commission on Human Rights to convey our appreciation to the Second Vice President and Rapporteur on the Rights of LGBTI Persons for her participation in today’s meeting and for her very instructive remarks.

I now request that the Secretariat show the intervention of the Executive Secretary of the InterAmerican Committee Against Terrorism, Ms. Alisson Treppel.

Please proceed, Secretariat.

[Se muestra el vídeo.]

La SECRETARIA EJECUTIVA DEL COMITÉ INTERAMERICANO CONTRA EL TERRORISMO: Secretary General Luis Almagro, Ambassador Phillips-Spencer, Ambassador Baños, distinguished ambassadors, permanent representatives, and delegates , on behalf of the Secretariat of the Inter-American Committee Against Terrorism (CICTE), let me express my sincere thanks for the invitation to participate in this timely and important special session of the Permanent Council to address issues of intolerance and discrimination in the region. I truly regret that I am not able to join you in person today, but I am very grateful for the opportunity to share this brief video message with you all.

Although the imminent threat of terrorism throughout our region remains relatively low compared to the rest of the world, the alarming increase in acts of terrorism carried out by individuals who have been radicalized by violent extremist material, includi ng hateful and racist content found online, has forced us to take a harder look at the threat posed by violent extremism that has led them to commit acts of terrorism.

There is no denying that expressions of hatred, racism, xenophobia, and intolerance are a threat to our shared values of peaceful coexisting, democracy, and human rights. There is also no denying that, when individuals are consistently exposed to rhetoric that not only dehumanizes or demonizes others, but also encourages violence against them, those same individuals can become more susceptible to violent radicalization. We know, furthermore, that the so -called “push factors,” or the structural

that, when individuals are consistently exposed to rhetoric that not only dehumanizes or demonizes others, but also encourages violence against them, those same individuals can become more susceptible to violent radicalization. We know, furthermore, that the so -called “push factors,” or the structural conditions conducive to violent extremism—such as marginalization, discrimination, and human rights violations—can play a significant role in this process.

As such, the CICTE welcomes efforts to support the implementation of both the Inter-American Convention against All Forms of Discrimination and Intolerance and the Inter -American Convention against Racism, Racial Discrimination, and Related Forms of Intole rance, both of which underscore the need to prevent, eliminate, prohibit, and punish, in accordance with states’ constitutional norms, violence motivated by discrimination.

As we continue to emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic, we know that the many opportunities provided by the internet for work and education have also been exploited to spread misinformation,- 10disinformation, and hate speech that can, in some cases, lead to violent extremism. Words matter — including those posted online—and they have very real consequences.

That is why fighting discrimination, racism, and intolerance is absolutely crucial for preventing violent extremism conducive to terrorism, and that is why CICTE is assigning priority attention to addressing this issue, including the role played by information and communication technol