Search Results for: treaties

ALBA Emergency Meeting’s Action Regarding President Obama’s Executive Order Imposing Sanctions on Seven Venezuelans

As discussed in a prior post, Venezuela has been organizing Latin American opposition to President Obama’s March 9th executive order imposing sanctions on seven Venezuelans. The latest venue for such opposition was the March 17th ALBA emergency meeting in Caracas, Venezuela. This post will discuss that ALBA resolution and Cuban President Rául Castro’s passionate speech … Continue reading ALBA Emergency Meeting’s Action Regarding President Obama’s Executive Order Imposing Sanctions on Seven Venezuelans

The Fourth Day of Pope Francis’ Mission to the American People

On Friday, September 25 (the fourth day of the mission to the American people) Pope Francis’ audience was in fact the whole world, when he went to the headquarters of the United Nations in east midtown Manhattan to speak briefly to U.N. employees and then extensively to the U.N. General Assembly. Francis next was driven … Continue reading The Fourth Day of Pope Francis’ Mission to the American People

U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee Holds Hearing About Cuba

On May 20th the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee held a hearing, “U.S.-Cuban Relations—The Way Forward.”[1]  Chairman Corker’s Opening Statement The Committee Chair, Bob Corker (Rep., TN) opened by stating that the hearing would focus “on the strategy behind the President’s significant shift in U.S. policy towards Cuba.” Even though this shift “has been welcomed … Continue reading U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee Holds Hearing About Cuba

Reactions to Reopening of U.S. and Cuba Embassies and Other Issues Regarding U.S.-Cuba Normalization

As discussed in an earlier post, on the morning of July 20, 2015, Cuba officially opened its Embassy in Washington, D.C., and the United States did likewise in Havana although the ceremonial opening of the latter will be on August 14 when Secretary of State John Kerry goes to Havana to preside over that event. … Continue reading Reactions to Reopening of U.S. and Cuba Embassies and Other Issues Regarding U.S.-Cuba Normalization

Spanish Court Dismisses Drug Trafficking Charges Against Foreign Sailors

On March 8th a Spanish High Court judge dismissed drug trafficking charges against five Egyptian sailors. They had been captured in international waters on a non-Spanish boat with 10 tons of hashish. The reason for the dismissal was the requirement of the new amendment to Spain’s universal jurisdiction statute for defendants to be Spanish citizens … Continue reading Spanish Court Dismisses Drug Trafficking Charges Against Foreign Sailors

U.N. Human Rights Committee’s Hearings about U.S. Human Rights

As discussed in a prior post, in March 2014, the United Nations’ Human Rights Committee (the Committee) issued a negative evaluation of how the United States of America (U.S.) was implementing and complying with the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR or Covenant), which is regarded as an important part of the International … Continue reading U.N. Human Rights Committee’s Hearings about U.S. Human Rights

Other Legal Proceedings Regarding the Murders of the Jesuit Priests of El Salvador and Their Housekeeper and Her Daughter

As we have seen in a recent post, the Spanish criminal investigation and prosecution of former Salvadoran military officers and soldiers for the murders of the Jesuit priests and their housekeeper and her daughter are still pending and hopefully the case will go to trial in 2015 against at least one of the 19 Salvadoran … Continue reading Other Legal Proceedings Regarding the Murders of the Jesuit Priests of El Salvador and Their Housekeeper and Her Daughter

U.N. Human Rights Committee’s Review of U.S. Human Rights

In March 2014, the United Nations’ Human Rights Committee (the Committee) made a very negative evaluation of how the United States of America (U.S.) was implementing and complying with the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR or Covenant), which is regarded as an important part of the International Bill of Rights. Before we … Continue reading U.N. Human Rights Committee’s Review of U.S. Human Rights

The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom’s Annual Report 2014   

                                                 On April 30, 2014, the quasi-independent U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom released its Annual Report 2014, pursuant to the International Religious Freedom Act of 1988 (“the Act”).[1] Introduction The Commission … Continue reading The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom’s Annual Report 2014   

Spanish Court Refuses to Apply New Amendment to Spain’s Universal Jurisdiction Statute

On March 15th Spanish High Court Judge Pablo Ruz refused in two cases to apply Spain’s new amendment to its universal jurisdiction statute.[1] This is the subject of a report in Spain’s leading newspaper, El Pais. U.S. Detainees Case One case has U.S. Government officials in its sights. It involves alleged torture by U.S. officials … Continue reading Spanish Court Refuses to Apply New Amendment to Spain’s Universal Jurisdiction Statute