The Inter-American Convention against Terrorism, within the framework of the Organization of American States, was signed during the regular session of the General Assembly, the supreme body of the Organization, held in Bridgetown, Barbados, on June 3, 2002; it entered into force on October 7, 2003. It is binding on the signatory countries and mandates that they must be included in national laws and regulations and that they undertake to adopt the necessary measures to strengthen cooperation.

The objective of the Convention is to prevent, punish and eliminate terrorism. “To this end, the States parties undertake to adopt the necessary measures and strengthen cooperation between them, in accordance with the provisions of this Convention.”

Paco Moncayo, National Security Adviser: Preventive detention for uniformed police officers will be in exceptional cases and must be kept away from criminals

In the border area, it is established: “The States Parties, in accordance with their internal legal and administrative regimes, shall promote cooperation and exchange of information to improve border and customs surveillance measures to detect and prevent the international movement of terrorists. and trafficking in arms or other materials intended for support for terrorist activities”.

Faced with brutal attacks by criminal groups that participated in terrorist actions such as explosive attacks on police stations, gas stations, homes, detonated car bombs and killed civilians, soldiers and police officers, using military weapons, the Council for Public and State Security (Cosepe ), on the basis of international legislation incorporated into our laws, decided to declare them terrorists and a threat to the state. This resolution includes a recommendation to use lethal force against drug gangs.

“The decree on the fight against terrorism is ambiguous and dangerous because it does not identify groups and specify who the actions are aimed at”

(…) counter-terrorist operations carried out in the country will be framed by the aforementioned legal instruments.

Adhering to the norm, it is said: “Nothing in this Convention may be interpreted in the sense that it undermines other rights and obligations of states and individuals under international law, in particular the UN Charter, the OAS Charter, international humanitarian law, international human rights law HH”, the counter-terrorist operations carried out in the country will be framed by the mentioned legal instruments.

Based on international legislation, the Comprehensive Organic Criminal Code (COIP) establishes in its “Art. 366. Terrorism. A person who, independently or by forming armed associations, provokes or keeps the population or part of it in a state of terror, by actions that endanger the life, physical integrity or freedom of persons, or endangers objects, means of communication, traffic, by using means that can cause havoc”.

“A person who delivers, places, throws or detonates an explosive device or substance or other lethal device at or against a place of public use, public or state institution, public transport network or infrastructure building, with the aim of causing death or serious bodily injury to persons or for the purpose causing significant material destruction”. Clearer? (OR)