responsibility, using adequate elements of evidence.” 173 ]Thus the Court has taken this failure to provide an explanation as a factor to take into account to substantiate the alleged violation and the resulting international responsibility.174 138. In the present case, the IACHR reiterates the clues of involvement by state agents: the mayor of Amapala, Juan José Quiroz; the congresspersons Manuel Vides and Raúl Pino; and the police officer Santos Mendoza. As indicated in the preceding section, these clues are present in a body of evidence that IACHR has available and which was gathered during the criminal proceedings themselves: i) statements made by Mr. Pacheco's next of kin and members of the National Party; and ii) official statements and reports from state agents of the DGIC. To this are added actions that led to covering up the information about the instigators and perpetrators of the crime, such as the failure to take statements from these persons, the absence of actions and monitoring to identify their criminal responsibility, the absence of protection for witnesses who were afraid to make statements, the procedural flaws, and even the dismantling of the special investigation group for the case. 139. The Commission considers that, in addition to all the clues about the state's involvement in Ángel Pacheco's death, it must be taken into account, as specified in the section on the rights to a fair trial and to judicial protection, that the State did not take the minimum actions required to explore logical lines of inquiry owing to omissions, obstructions, and irregularities that appeared throughout the proceedings. As a result, the judicial authorities did not examine seriously the possible ties of at least four state authorities to Ángel Pacheco León's homicide. In view of these omissions, the Commission considers that the State did not meet the requirement of disproving the clues about the direct participation, acquiescence or collaboration of state agents. In addition, the possible participation of state agents on active duty or former state agents could suggest the action of power structures in the area, which were not investigated either. 140. In that respect, the Commission considers that, in terms of international responsibility, the clues about participation of stage agents, along with the absence of a diligent investigation, makes it possible to conclude that the State bears international responsibility for the failure to fulfill its duty to respect the life of Mr. Ángel Pacheco León, as enshrined in Article 4.1 of the American Convention, in connection with the obligations set forth in Article 1.1 of the same instrument. 3. Political rights 141. The Commission takes note that the petitioners alleged the violation of Ángel Pacheco's political rights in the stage of the merits. Regarding this, on the basis of the review previously conducted (see paragraphs 121 and 122 above), the IACHR shall set forth its considerations about this matter. 142. Article 23.1.b of the American Convention establishes the right of persons to "be elected in genuine periodic elections.” The Court has considered that this right involves not only the right to be elected to public office, but also the right "to have a real opportunity to serve in the position to which he was elected.”175 Thus the right to effective political participation implies that citizens not only have right, but also 173 I/A Court H.R., Case of J. v. Peru. Preliminary Objection, Merits, Reparations and Costs. Judgment of November 27, 2013. Series C No. 275, para. 353. 174 I/A Court H.R., Case of J. v. Peru. Preliminary Objection, Merits, Reparations and Costs. Judgment of November 27, 2013. Series C No. 275, para. 354. 175 I/A Court H.R., Case of Luna López v. Honduras. Merits, Reparations and Costs. Judgment of October 10, 2013. Series C No. 269, para. 142.