four days off,” and that security was also provided “to the Foundation’s annex […] by three agents, under the same arrangement.”6 Lastly, it added that the Chief of Police of Station 11 of the National Civil Police had been ordered to reinforce the security around the perimeter of the Foundation’s premises. 9. In their observations of February 23, 2009, the representatives stated that, based on the verbal orders of the Ministry of the Interior of February 17, 2009, “12 of the 16 agents […] who provided personal protection to Fredy Peccerelli and his family, and also to Leonel Paiz” were withdrawn, and that “he was given the option to keep four of [them;] based on Mr. Peccerelli’s decision they were assigned to [his] sister and wife […] with the main purpose that the […] children receive this protection.” They indicated that, since the four agents work in shifts, “[i]n reality only one agent accompanies them during each shift.” In their observations of January 28, 2010, they indicated that, regarding the State’s claim that 10 agents were assigned to the protection of the beneficiaries, “in fact, only [six] agents are assigned for their protection, due to the shifts and how the agents are assigned.” In addition, the asked the State to clarify the information provided on the risk assessment that it had allegedly made; specifically as regards who was responsible for the risk assessment, what procedure was being followed, how much advance notice was given to the beneficiary, what was the procedure for notifying the results of this assessment, what parameters were used, and what was the general action strategy based on the results.” In their brief of May 20, 2010, the representatives indicated that “at this time neither Freddy Peccerelli nor Omar Girón has personal protection,” which “has been requested repeatedly since the […] threats and the […] incident that occurred on April 13, 2010.” In addition, they stated that they have demanded “increased perimeter support and the designation of more agents to relieve those assigned.” 10. Subsequently, during the public hearing and in their observations of September 2010, the representatives indicated that, owing to the decrease in the number of agents ordered by the Ministry of the Interior in February 2009, which allegedly represented 75% less protection compared to the previous year, only Fredy Peccerelli still had four security agents, and they were reassigned at his request to the protection of Jeannette Peccerelli and their two children, and another agent for Bianka Peccerelli and Antonella Girón Peccerelli. They emphasized that three of these five individuals are minors and that, “when the mothers separate from their children, the latter are left unprotected,” or they have to decide who should be protected, since one agent must protect several people. They stressed that, for the children to be protected, “they must always be together, which was not coherent because they have activities in different geographical areas.” They also underlined that “[n]one of the beneficiaries was asked whether they agreed with [the] decision [to decrease the number of agents] or, above all, informed of the reasons.” Regarding the guardhouse at the FAFG premises, they stated that, since September 2010, there were eight security agents; that is two more than those assigned in February 2009; however, they indicated that the “FAFG has not been informed of the perimeter security assigned to both its offices, and is unaware of how it functions.” In this regard, they specified that they were unaware of what it consists of or how frequently it is carried out, or whether this type of security was assigned to the homes of Omar Bertoni Girón, Fredy Peccerelli and other beneficiaries. They also presented various observations regarding the agents who 6 In its report of June 1, 2009, the State had advised that the guardhouses for the two FAFG premises were staffed by eight agents of the National Civil Police, who worked in groups of four agents per shift and that, in addition, “perimeter security [was provided] to the homes of Omar Bertoni and Leonel Paiz.” In its report of March 26, 2010, it advised that there were 10 security agents in total (including all work shifts), assigned as follows: one agent per shift for the protection of the children Tristán and Ashley Peccerelli Valle and Jeannette de Peccerelli, children and wife of the FAFG Executive Director, with two shifts; one agent per shift for the protection of Bianka Peccerelli, the Director’s sister, with two shifts; six security agents for “the protection of Fredy Armando Peccerelli and the employees of the [FAFG], […] with two agents guarding the Foundation’s headquarters and two agents per shift guarding the annex, and another two other agents who relieve the shifts.” 4