Attorneys General will create Ibero-American network on human trafficking

26 September, 2011- Attorneys General of Latin America will create a regional network of specialized prosecutors against Trafficking in Persons. The network is part of the cooperation protocol signed during the Second Ibero-American Summit against the Human Trafficking held in Santiago, Chile, from 21 to 23 September 2011. The aim is to strengthen the prosecution of traffickers, the assistance and protection provided to victims and witnesses of human trafficking, a crime that affects millions of people around the world.

The expectation is that the network becomes fully operational in a month. The Attorney Generals also signed a protocol that determines how the joint operations and protection mechanisms for victims will work.

"Both members of the American Association of Public Prosecutors and the meeting of the Public Prosecutors of Mercosur transmitted to the Attorney General of Chile their keen interest in taking a new step in the fight against human trafficking, a challenge that we accept and we are deeply honored", said Sabas Chahuán, during the closing ceremony of the Summit.

The Iberoamerican Summit included seven plenary sessions and three working groups to address issues such as Human Trafficking for Sexual Exploitation, for Forced Labor, the Smuggling of Migrants, legislative analysis on the matter and the experiences of all countries participating in the prosecution of these crimes and in international cooperation.

In addition, operational meetings took place to coordinate joint actions. These included meetings between Luis Toledo, Regional Prosecutor of O'Higgins, Chile, with Paraguayan prosecutors who analyzed a joint investigation for alleged crimes of trafficking in persons for labor exploitation, against 56 Paraguayan and Francisco Javier Errazuriz, a Chilean businessman and a former senator and presidential candidate.

The summit was held in the Chilean headquarters of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) with the participation of all Attorney Generals of the Presidency and Regional Vice- Presidency of the AIAMP (the Ibero-American Association of Public Prosecutors) and all the Attorney Generals of the Meeting of MERCOSUR. Also present were 35 prosecutors specialized in South America, 6 prosecutors and Federal Agents from the U.S., 8 international experts and over 70 national guests.

Organized by the Attorney General of Chile, the Ibero-American Association of Public Prosecutors (AIAMP) and Meeting of Mercosur Prosecutors (REMPM), the meeting was sponsored by UNODC through the Global Project for the implementation of the Protocol against Trafficking in Persons and the Smuggling of Migrants. This event was made possible through funding of the European Union.

 

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