The Ombudsman General of the Guatemalan Human Rights Ombudsman's Office (PDH), Dr. José Alejandro Córdova (hereinafter referred to as Ombudsman Córdova) and Director of the International Cooperation Department Juan Carlos Díaz visited Taiwan at the joint invitation of the Control Yuan and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. They visited the Control Yuan on June 1, where Ombudsman Córdova delivered an informative speech introducing the organizational structure, functions, and practical experiences in promoting supervision and human rights protection of the PDH, aiming to deepen exchange and cooperation between Taiwan and Guatemala in the fields of supervision and human rights protection.
The Acting President of the Control Yuan (CY), Hung-Chun Lee, stated in his opening remarks that Guatemala is one of our important diplomatic allies, and both sides have long maintained good friendship and cooperative relations. Ombudsman Córdova is committed to judicial and human rights work and has held multiple important positions. Under his leadership, PDH, like the CY, is a member of the Ibero-American Federation of Ombudsmen (FIO). He also serves as a member of the Executive Committee of the Network of National Human Rights Institutions in the Americas (RINDHCA), committed to promoting regional and international human rights cooperation. He expressed hope that this sharing of experience would enhance mutual understanding of each other’s institutional operations and lay a foundation for future exchange and cooperation between the two sides.
Ombudsman Córdova focused his keynote speech on the operation and practical experience of the PDH, introducing how, since its establishment in 1985, the PDH has, in its role as an independent supervisory agency, encouraged government agencies to act in accordance with the law and safeguarded fundamental human rights through mechanisms such as oversight, audits, mediation, and protection. He also specifically shared actions or practical experiences in fields such as the promotion of human rights education, protection of children and adolescents, rights protection for the elderly, immigrants, and persons with disabilities. Additionally, the PDH has strengthened its institutional development and human rights protection capacity through participation in international organizations such as the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions (GANHRI), the RINDHCA, the FIO, and the International Ombudsman Institute (IOI), engaging in international exchanges and cooperation.
During the Q&A session following the keynote speech, CY members raised questions about how the PDH balances the practical implementation of "legal and moral authority," as well as the operating model of mediation mechanisms in major social conflicts. Ombudsman Córdova responded that the core of the PDH lies in playing the role of a "neutral coordinator" and seeking consensus on an equal basis, striving to substantially safeguard the rights of both parties and restore social balance. In addition, regarding how government agencies respond to supervisory suggestions, Ombudsman Córdova acknowledged that the PDH does not possess compulsory enforcement power, but by building the pressure of public moral opinion, the PDH can still effectively provide constructive suggestions to government officials and actively facilitate institutional responses and positive change. The enthusiastic exchange and discussion with Ombudsman Córdova helped both sides gain a better understanding of each other's institutional features and practical experiences, and can serve as an important reference for future work regarding supervision and human rights protection.
To help Ombudsman Córdova and Director Díaz further understand Taiwan’s supervisory system, human rights development history, and current social and cultural situation, the CY also arranged relevant field visits to continuously deepen friendly exchanges and cooperation between Taiwan and Guatemala in the fields of human rights and democratic rule of law.