5 and the representatives, and Mireya Josefina Ayala-Gualdrón, Inocenta del Valle Marín, Nazario Ruiz, María Auxiliadora Zerpa de Moreno, Osmar Martínez, Douglas Lizano and Edgar López, witnesses proposed by the representatives, to render testimony by affidavit. The President further ordered that expert witness Pieter Van Reener, proposed by the Commission, and Expert witnesses Magdalena Ibañez, Christopher Birkbeck and Magaly Vásquez, proposed by the representatives, had to render their testimonies by affidavit. Likewise, the President convened the representatives and the State to a public hearing to be held in the Hearing Room of the Supreme Court of Justice of the Nation, in the city of Buenos Aires, Argentina as from April 4, 2006, to hear the final oral arguments regarding the preliminary and contingent objection, on the merits, reparations and costs of the instant case, as well as the testimony of witnesses and expert witnesses proposed by the Commission and the representatives. Additionally, through such order the President informed the parties that they had to file their final written arguments regarding the preliminary and contingent objections, and on the merits, reparations and costs on or before May 19, 2006. Finally, the President requested the State to submit evidence to facilitate de adjudication of the case. 22. On February 22, 2006, the Inter-American Commission informed that it would exclude the testimony of Pedro Ramón Castro, because due to “health problems” he could not comply with the request made by the President in the Order dated February 7, 2006 (supra para. 21) 23. On February 23 and 24, 2006, the Inter-American Commission and the representatives submitted the affidavits with testimonies and expert reports requested by the President (supra para. 21.) On March 10, 2006, the Inter-American Commission sent the affidavit of expert witness Pieter Van Reenen. 24. On March 23, 2006, the Commission reported that, due to reasons beyond her control, witness Ana María González, who had been subpoenaed to appear before the Inter-American Court at a public hearing (supra para. 21,) could not travel to the city of Buenos Aires, and therefore, she could not render testimony. For this reason, the Commission requested the Court to allow the testimony of Giovanni GaviriaVelásquez instead. On March 27, 2006, the representatives stated their acceptance to the request of the Commission. The State did not file any objections whatsoever. 25. On March 28, 2006, the Inter-American Court issued an Order admitting the substitution of witnesses proposed by the Commission and decided to call Giovanni Gaviria-Velásquez to render testimony at a public hearing, substituting Ana María González. 26. On April 4, 2006, the public hearing was held in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and the following persons were present thereat: a) for the Inter-American Commission: Paulo Sergio Pinheiro and Santiago Canton, as Delegates; Víctor H. Madrigal, Juan Pablo Albán, Debora Benchoam, Lilly Ching and Camilo Sánchez, Legal Counsel; b) for the representatives: Liliana Ortega, Carlos Ayala-Corao and Willy Chang, on behalf of COFAVIC, and Viviana Krsticevic, Tatiana Rincón and Pedro Díaz, on behalf of CEJIL, and c) for the State: María Auxiliadora Monagas, Agent; Iskrey Pérez, Alis Boscán and Boris Bosio, Legal Counsel. Also present, Giovanni Gaviria-Velásquez, as witness offered by the Commission, and Nellys María Madriz and Arturo Peraza, witnesses offered by the representatives. During said public hearing, the State acknowledged its international responsibility for the events, and admitted the claims made by the Inter-American Commission in its application and those made by the