The Secretariat for Legal Affairs of the Organization of American States (OAS) took part in the “II Forum on Current Challenges Facing the Judiciary and Public Prosecutors”, held from 28 November to 1 December 2023, in Belém of Pará, Brazil, which was organized within the framework of the cooperation agreements signed with Brazilian schools and associations of judges and prosecutors.

The forum opened with a message from the Permanent Representative of Brazil to the OAS, Ambassador Benoni Belli, followed by words from Minister Mauro Campbell Marques, Director of the National School for the Training and Improvement of Judges (ENFAM), Minister Delaíde Alves Miranda Arantes of the Superior Labor Court (TST), Minister Admiral Leonardo Puntel of the Superior Military Court (STM), the Attorney General of Justice of the State of Pará, César Mattar Jr., Judge Alex Pinheiro Centeno of the Court of Justice of Pará, the Head of the Civil House of the Government of Pará, Luiziel Guedes, and the Secretary for Legal Affairs of the OAS, Dr. Jean Michel Arrighi.

The forum, attended by over 100 judges and prosecutors from Brazil, Argentina and Peru, featured presentations on recent developments and challenges faced by judges and prosecutors in the region, including questions of international cooperation, human rights, justice itinerant, gender perspective, vulnerable populations, use of technology and access to justice, among others.

The Secretary for Legal Affairs, Dr. Jean Michel Arrighi, and the Director of the Department of International Law, Dante Negro, addressed in the opening session the relevance of the Inter-American system; from the Secretariat for Legal Affairs, also Valter Shuenquener, who talked about technological innovation, and Elizabeth Zorrilla, who moderated a panel on gender and human rights, participated.

In addition to presentations delivered by judges and prosecutors from Brazil, there were presentations by members of AJUFE Argentina and prosecutors from Peru. Following the forum, several representatives of the participating associations endorsed the values and principles discussed in the sessions by signing the Belém Charter available here.

Prior to the forum, the Secretariat for Legal Affairs attended technical meetings at ENFAM, the National Council of Justice (CNJ), the National School for the Training and Improvement of Labor Judges (ENAMAT), the TST, and the National School for the Training and Improvement of the Military Judges of the Union (ENAJUM), between November 27 and 28 in Brasilia.

During the visit, a cooperation agreement was signed with the National Council of Justice, represented by Luís Roberto Barroso, President of the Supreme Federal Court.

» The program is available here

» The photo albums are available here: “Day 1”, “Day 2”, “Day 3”

» To visit the website of the Secretariat for Legal Affairs, click here