8. Answering brief. On July 17, 2020, the Paraguayan State presented to the Court its brief answering the submission of the case and the Merits Report of the Inter-American Commission and also the pleadings and motions brief of the representatives (hereinafter “the answering brief”).11 In this brief, the State contested the alleged violations and the requests for measures of reparation of the Commission and the representatives. It asked that the Court “reject the allegations in the [pleadings and motions brief]” and “all the claims made in Report No. 17/19.”12 9. Public hearing. In an order of December 11, 2020, the President of the Court called the parties and the Commission to a public hearing on the merits and eventual reparations and costs.13 The public hearing was held virtually on March 1, 2 and 3, 2021, during the Court’s 140th regular session.14 10. Final written arguments and observations. On March 31, April 1 and April 2, 2021, the Commission, the representatives and the State, respectively, forwarded their final written observations and final written arguments. In addition, the representatives forwarded annexes with their respective brief. 11. Observations on the annexes to the final arguments. On April 15, 2021, the Commission indicated that it had no observations to make on the annexes to the representatives’ final written arguments. On April 16, 2021, the State presented its observations in this regard. 12. The Court deliberated this judgment in virtual sessions on August 17, 18 and 19, 2021.15 III JURISDICTION On March 17, 2020, by Decision 1/20 (available at: http://www.corteidh.or.cr/docs/comunicados/ cp_18_2020.pdf), the Court decided to suspend the calculation of all deadlines owing to the declaration of the Covid19 pandemic by the World Health Organization and based on the “National Health Guidelines for Surveillance of Coronavirus Infection” issued by the Ministry of Public Health of the Republic of Costa Rica. By Decision 2/20 of April 16, 2020 (available at: http://www.corteidh.or.cr/docs/comunicados/cp_28_2020.pdf), this suspension was extended until May 20, 2020. 12 On August 4, 2020, in response to a request by the Court’s Secretariat, the State forwarded clarifications and documentation related to the annexes to its answering brief. 13 Cf. Case of Ríos Avalos et al. v. Paraguay. Call to a hearing. Order of the President of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights of December 11, 2020. Available at: https://www.corteidh.or.cr/docs/asuntos/rios_avalos_ 11_12_2020.pdf. 14 At this hearing there appeared: (a) for the Inter-American Commission: Edgar Stuardo Ralón Orellana, Commissioner; Marisol Blanchard, Deputy Executive Secretary, and Jorge Meza Flores and Christian González, legal advisers; (b) for the representatives of the presumed victims: Sara Parquet de Ríos, Nicolás Gaona Irún, Raquel Talavera, Carlos Fernández Villalba, Bonifacio Ríos Avalos, Jesús María Fernández, Edgar Bonifacio Ríos Parquet, Shirley Rossana Ríos Parquet, José Carlos Ríos Parquet, Linda Isnelda Ríos, José Luis Fernández Villalba, Julio Fernández Villalba, Paola Teresita Gauto, Rosa Martínez de Vachetta, Amelia Báez and Jonatan Sebastián Suárez, and (c) for the State of Paraguay: José Félix Estigarribia, Ambassador of the Republic of Paraguay to Costa Rica; Juan Rafael Caballero González, Attorney General; María Noelia López, Director for Human Rights of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Roberto Benítez Fernández, official of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Patricia Sulin, official of the Human Rights Unit of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Sergio Benítez, official of the Human Rights Unit of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Belén Diana, Assistant Attorney General; Pablo Rojas, Assistant Attorney General; Renzo Cristaldo Garay, official of the Office of the Attorney General; Ramón Romero, official of the Office of the Attorney General; Rodolfo Barrios, adviser to the Office of the Attorney General; Mario Fabián Silva, official of the Embassy of the Republic of Paraguay in Costa Rica, and Raquel Cáceres, official of the Embassy of the Republic of Paraguay in Costa Rica. 15 Owing to the exceptional circumstances resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic, this judgment was deliberated and adopted during the 143rd regular session, which was held virtually, using technological means in accordance with the provisions of the Court’s Rules of Procedure. 11 6