Judicial rulings and disciplinary actions in Latin America

Judicial developments in Latin America have focused on legal protections, disciplinary actions, and procedural regulations.

In Mexico, the Supreme Court of Justice of the Nation established a new criterion requiring authorities to investigate claims of torture when a witness retracts a statement. The Court ruled that statements obtained through suffering may violate due process and, if torture is proven, the testimony may be disqualified as evidence. In Colombia, the Supreme Court of Justice denied the extradition of Venezuelan activist Gabriel José Carrillo Delgado, ruling that the homicide charges likely masked political persecution due to his political affiliations.

In Venezuela, the Supreme Tribunal of Justice (TSJ) implemented circular 004-2026, which prohibits lawyers from using audiovisual recording devices within the Palacio de Justicia to protect legal confidentiality and the privacy of victims. Meanwhile, in Ecuador, the Disciplinary Control Directorate recommended the dismissal of three judges following their decision to revoke the preventive detention of individuals in the ‘Goleada’ case, an action characterized by the National Court of Justice as an “inexcusable error.”