6 30. During the first public hearing, the State expressed verbally and in writing that it withdrew the preliminary objections filed and acknowledged its international responsibility in the instant case (infra paras. 35 to 38). 31. On that same day, April 23, 2004, the Inter-American Commission and the representatives of the victims and their next of kin, respectively, stated at the public hearing, and also in writing, that they accepted the acknowledgment of responsibility made by the State. 32. On April 23, 2004 Guatemala filed a second brief in which it referred to the position of the Commission and of the representatives regarding the acknowledgment of international responsibility made by the State. 33. On April 23, 2004, once the first public hearing had ended and the aforementioned briefs had been submitted, the Court issued an Order in which it decided that all the preliminary objections filed by the State had been withdrawn; it accepted the acknowledgment of international responsibility made by the State, and it decided to continue the public hearing summoned by the February 19, 2004 Order of the President, and it limited its object to reparations and legal costs. At said public hearing, it heard the statements of the witnesses and expert witnesses summoned by the Court and the pleadings of the Inter-American Commission, of the representatives of the victims and their next of kin, and of the State. V ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF INTERNATIONAL RESPONSIBILITY Pleadings of the State 34. In its reply to the application, the State pointed out that during processing of the instant case before the Commission, on August 9, 2000, the President of the Republic of Guatemala, who at that time was Alfonso Portillo Cabrera, “acknowledge[d] the institutional sic responsibility of the State due to noncompliance [with the] provisions of Article 1(1) of the American Convention to respect and guarantee the rights set forth in the Convention and Articles 1, 2 and 3 of the Political Constitution of Guatemala,” and also stated that “[...] with this background, the Guatemalan government accept[ed] that the facts that gave rise to filing of the petitions before the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights occurred […].” 35. On April 23, 2004 the State, both in its statements during the first public hearing held that same day and in the brief that it submitted on the matter, acknowledged its international responsibility in the instant case. 36. In the course of the public hearing, the State, “based on the facts set forth in the brief containing the application by the [...] Inter-American Commission on Human Rights and [in the brief with pleadings, motions, and evidence] of [the representatives]:” 1. Reiterate[d] the acknowledgment of responsibility of the State of Guatemala in the instant case, made by the previous President of the Republic, Alfonso Portillo Cabrera, on August 9, 2000. 2 Withdr[ew] the preliminary objections raised by the State during the proceeding in this case.