the enactment of laws and the implementation of practices leading to the effective
observance of those guarantees.” 160
128. Since the parties did not allege the violation of Article 2 of the American
Convention, the Court deems it pertinent to apply the iura novit curia principle, which is
strongly supported in international case law, and which allows the Court to examine the
possible violation of provisions of the Convention that have not been alleged in the briefs
presented by the parties, provided that the parties have had the opportunity to state
their respective positions in relation to the facts that substantiate this. 161 The Court has
used this principle on different occasions since its first judgment 162 to declare the
violation of rights that have not been alleged directly by the parties, but that are
revealed by the analysis of the facts in dispute, because this principle authorizes the
Court to classify the disputed situation or legal arguments differently to the way in which
they were classified by the parties, provided that it respect the factual framework of the
case. 163
129. Based on the above, the State did not comply, at the time of the facts, with its
obligation to ensure the right to life by appropriate legislation on the use of force.
Consequently, it also failed to prove that it had provided training on this matter to law
enforcement agents, in violation of the obligation to ensure the right to life, and the
obligations arising from Article 2 of the American Convention. 164
B.2 Actions at the time of the incident: legitimate purpose, absolute
necessity and proportionality, in relation to the obligation to respect rights
130. The Court has indicated that, “during an incident in which force is used, the State
agents, insofar as possible, must assess the situation and draw up a plan of action prior
to intervening.” 165 Consequently, police operations should be aimed at the arrest of the
presumed offender and not at the deprivation of his life.
131. As a general rule, the use of firearms is established as a measure of last resort in
light of both domestic and international law. Thus, the Basic Principles on the Use of
Force establish that “[l]aw enforcement officials shall not use firearms against persons
160
Cf. Case of Castillo Petruzzi et al. v. Peru. Merits, reparations and costs. Judgment of May 30, 1999.
Series C No. 52, para. 207, and Case of Norín Catrimán et al. (Leaders, members and activist of the Mapuche
Indigenous People), supra, para. 175.
161
Cf. Case of Velásquez Rodríguez. Merits, supra, para. 163, and Case of Furlan and family members v.
Argentina. Preliminary objections, merits, reparations and costs. Judgment of August 31, 2012. Series C No.
246, para. 55.
162
For example, in the following cases, inter alia, the Court declared the violation of rights that had not
been cited by the parties in application of the iura novit curia principle: (i) in the case of Velásquez Rodríguez
v. Honduras it declared the violation of Article 1(1) of the Convention; (ii) in the case of the Sawhoyamaxa
Indigenous Community v. Paraguay it declared the violation of Article 3 of the American Convention; (iii) in the
case of the Ituango Massacres v. Colombia it declared the violation of Article 11(2) of the Convention; (iv) in
the case of Bueno Alves v. Argentina it declared the violation of Article 5(1) of the American Convention to the
detriment of the next of kin of Mr. Bueno Alves; (v) in the case of Kimel v. Argentina it declared the violation of
Article 9 of the American Convention; (vi) in the case of Heliodoro Portugal v. Panama it declared the violation
of Article I of the Inter-American Convention on the Forced Disappearance of Persons, in relation to Article II of
this instrument; (vii) in the case of Bayarri v. Argentina it declared the violation of Articles 1, 6 and 8 of the
Inter-American Convention to Prevent and Punish Torture; (viii) in the case of Usón Ramírez v. Venezuela it
declared the violation of Article 9 of the American Convention; (ix) in the case of Vélez Loor v. Panama it
declared the violation of Article 9 of the American Convention, and (x) in the case of Furlan and family
members v. Argentina it declared the violation of Article 5 of this instrument.
163
Cf. Case of Bueno Alves v. Argentina. Merits, reparations and costs. Judgment of May 11, 2007. Series C
No. 164, para. 70, and Case of Furlan and family members, supra, para. 55.
164
Cf. Case of Nadege Dorzema et al., supra, para. 82.
165
Cf. Case of Montero Aranguren et al. (Retén de Catia), supra, para. 67, and Case of Nadege Dorzema et
al., supra, para. 84.
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