30.
Lastly, the Court notes that the representatives asked that certain aspects of the
testimony given by the witnesses Rosolina Trujillo and Julio de Brun “not be taken into
account.” However, the Court finds that the representatives’ observations relate to the
content of these two statements, and that they are not contesting their admissibility, but
rather refer to matters of probative value.15 Based on the foregoing, the Court admits
these statements, although their probative value will be considered only in relation to
the part that is precisely in keeping with the purpose duly defined by the President of
the Court (supra para. 17), taking into account the whole body of evidence, the
observations of the parties, and the rules of sound judicial discretion. Thus, the
representatives’ observations will be considered, as appropriate, when examining the
merits of the dispute.
V
PRIOR CONSIDERATIONS
31.
In this chapter, the Court will formulate some considerations regarding the facts
that are the purpose of this case, the determination of the alleged victims, and how it
will deal with the State’s arguments on the “failure to exhaust domestic remedies.”
A.
Regarding the facts that are the subject of this case
Arguments of the parties
32.
In its application brief in this case, the Commission included the presentation of
the facts, as established in Article 34(1) of the Court’s previous Rules of Procedure
applicable to this case with regard to “the presentation of the case before the Court,” as
established in Article 79(2) of the Court’s current Rules of Procedure (supra para. 4).
33.
In the chapter on “Facts” in the pleadings and motions brief, the representatives
indicated that they “fully agree with what the Inter-American Commission has described
in paragraphs 28 to 95 of its application brief with regard to the facts, and the
conclusions it draws from them,” and also stated that, “in order not to create
unnecessary duplication, [they] would merely outline [their] point of view on the facts,
emphasizing the elements [they] deemed most relevant for the Court to consider, and to
justify [their] subsequent petition; otherwise, referring to what the Commission had
described so well.”
34.
In its answering brief and its brief with final arguments, the State affirmed that
the representatives of the alleged victims were trying to introduce elements that “do not
form part of the facts invoked by [the Commission] as the purpose of the […]
application,” and this “was not admissible in light of Articles 44 and 61 of the Convention
[…] and Articles 35(3) and 40(2)(a) of the Court’s Rules of Procedure.” The State
indicated that “by expanding the purpose of the proceedings, the alleged victims are
trying to reincorporate” aspects relating to the alleged violations of Articles 21 (Right to
Property)16 and 24 (Right to Equal Protection)17 of the Convention, “which had already
been excluded by the Commission in its Report on Merits.”
15
Cf. Case of Reverón Trujillo v. Venezuela. Preliminary objection, merits, reparations and costs.
Judgment of June 30, 2009. Series C No. 197, para. 43; Case of Vélez Loor v. Panama. Preliminary objections,
merits, reparations and costs. Judgment of November 23, 2010. Series C No. 218, para. 86, and Case of Abrill
Alosilla et al. v. Peru. Merits, reparations and costs. Judgment of March 4, 2011. Series C No. 223, para. 47
16
In the “Purpose” of the pleadings and motions brief, the representatives asked the Court to declare
that Uruguay had violated Article 21 of the Convention, in relation to Article 1(1) thereof, “owing to its absence
of due diligence and its omission of protection in relation to the private fraud committed by the Peirano
Group.” Also, in the brief’s legal considerations, they indicated that, by acting “in to discriminatory manner
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