corresponding analysis in the next chapter.
IV
ANALYSIS OF THE ADMISSIBILITY OF THE REQUEST FOR INTERPRETATION
8.
This Court will now examine the representatives’ request to determine whether, in
accordance with the law and the standards developed in its case law, it is admissible to
clarify the meaning or scope of any point of the judgment.
9.
The Court has found that a request for interpretation of judgment cannot be used to
challenge a decision whose interpretation is being requested. The exclusive purpose of
such a request is to determine the meaning of a judgment when one of the parties finds
that the text of its operative paragraphs or its considerations are unclear or imprecise, as
long as these considerations have an impact on the operative paragraphs. Therefore, the
modification or annulment of the judgment cannot be sought through a request for
interpretation. 3
10. The Court has also held that it is inadmissible to use a request for interpretation to
submit considerations on matters of fact and law that were already raised at the proper
procedural moment and regarding which the Court has already issued a decision, 4 or to
ask the Court to reassess matters that it has already ruled on in its judgment. 5 This
proceeding can also not be used to broaden the scope of a measure of reparation ordered
at the proper procedural moment. 6
11. Hereinafter, the Inter-American Court will examine (A) the request for interpretation
of the meaning and scope of the obligation to investigate.
A. Request for interpretation of the obligation to investigate
A.1. Arguments of the parties
12. The representatives requested clarification of paragraphs 97 and 98 of the
judgment whereby "the creation of a Working Group to establish the circumstances of the
murder of Mr. Leguizamón Zaván is ordered" and that "specify certain formal and
substantive conditions for the operation of the Working Group whose creation was ordered:
its composition, the selection and formation methods, the term for creating it, the
obligation of public financing by the Paraguayan State, the establishment of powers of
consultation and access to information, and the deadline for submitting the final report of
3
Cf. Case of Loayza Tamayo v. Peru. Interpretation of Judgment on Merits. Order of the Court of March 8,
1998. Series C No. 47, para. 16, and Case of the national Federation of Maritime and Port Workers (FEMAPOR)
v. Peru. Judgment on Preliminary Objections, Merits, and Reparations. Judgment of November 21, 2022. Series
C No. 480, para. 10.
4
Cf. Case of Loayza Tamayo v. Peru. Interpretation of Judgment on Reparations and Costs, supra, para.
15, and Case of the national Federation of Maritime and Port Workers (FEMAPOR) v. Peru. Interpretation of the
Judgment on Preliminary Objections, Merits, and Reparations, supra, para. 11.
5
Cf. Case Salvador Chiriboga v. Ecuador. Interpretation of Judgment on Reparations and Costs. Judgment
of August 29, 2011. Series C No. 230, para. 30, and Case of the national Federation of Maritime and Port Workers
(FEMAPOR) v. Peru. Interpretation of the Judgment on Preliminary Objections, Merits, and Reparations, supra,
para. 11.
Cf. Case of Escher et al. v. Brazil. Interpretation of Judgment of Preliminary Objections, Merits,
Reparations, and Costs. Judgment of November 20, 2009. Series C No. 208, para. 11, and Case of the national
Federation of Maritime and Port Workers (FEMAPOR) v. Peru. Interpretation of the Judgment on Preliminary
Objections, Merits, and Reparations, supra, para. 11.
6
3