-21120. In its brief containing the answer to the application and in its submission of
comments on the petitions and arguments, Peru claimed before the Court the failure
to exhaust the remedies “regarding the cause of action in the case of Empresa de
Servicios Municipales de Limpieza de Lima – ESMLL (Lima Municipal Cleaning
Services Corporation)”, since “the […] case […] is at the midst of the enforcement
phase.”
121. The American Convention provides that the Court exercises full jurisdiction
over all matters pertaining to a case, including jurisdiction over the procedural
prerequisites which are the basis of its authority to hear a case.2
122. Article 46(1)(a) of the Convention provides that in order to decide on the
admissibility of a petition or communication filed before the Inter-American
Commission pursuant to Articles 44 or 45 of the Convention, it is necessary that all
domestic remedies have been filed and exhausted, according to the generally
recognized principles of international law.3
123. The Court has argued that Article 46(1)(a) of the Convention provides that
domestic remedies must be filed and exhausted according to the generally
recognized principles of international law, which implies that not only should such
remedies formally exist, but also be adequate and effective, as it is derived from the
exceptions set forth in Article 46(2) of the Convention.4
124. The Court reaffirms the criteria regarding the filing of the objection for failure
to exhaust the domestic remedies, criteria which is to be considered in the instant
case. First, the Court has pointed out that the matter of the failure to exhaust
remedies is one of pure admissibility and that the State which alleges it must
express which domestic remedies should be exhausted, as well as prove the
effectiveness thereof. Second, for the objection of failure to exhaust the domestic
remedies to be held timely, it should be filed at the admissibility stage of the
proceeding before the Commission, that is, before any consideration of the merits of
the case; otherwise, the State is assumed to have waived constructively its right to
resort to it. Third, the respondent State may waive, either expressly or implicitly, the
right to raise an objection for failure to exhaust the domestic remedies.5
2
Cf. Case of the Serrano-Cruz Sisters v. El Salvador. Preliminary Objections Judgment of
November 23, 2004. Series C No. 118, para. 132; Case of Tibi v. Ecuador. Judgment of September 7,
2004. Series C No. 114, para. 47; and Case of Herrera-Ulloa v. Costa Rica. Judgment of July 2, 2004.
Series C No. 107, para. 79.
3
Cf. Case of Ximenes-Lopes v. Brazil. Preliminary Objection. Judgment of November 30, 2005.
Series C No. 139, para. 4; Case of the Moiwana Community v. Suriname. Judgment of June 15, 2005.
Series C No. 124, para. 48; and Case of the Serrano-Cruz Sisters v. El Salvador. Preliminary Objections,
supra note 2, para. 133.
4
Cf. Case of the Serrano-Cruz Sisters v. El Salvador. Preliminary Objections, supra note 2, para.
134; Case of Tibi v. Ecuador, supra note 2, para. 50; and Case of the Mayagna (Sumo) Awas Tingni
Community v. Nicaragua. Preliminary Objections. Judgment of February 1, 2000. Series C No. 66, para.
53.
5
Cf. Case of Ximenes-Lopes v. Brazil. Preliminary Objections, supra note 3, para. 5; Case of the
Moiwana Community v. Suriname, supra note 3, para. 49; and Case of the Serrano-Cruz Sisters v. El
Salvador. Preliminary Comments, supra note 2, para. 135.