DEATH PENALTY-LATIN AMERICA: BROAD SUPPORT FOR UN MORATORIUM

many Latin American governments have not yet adopted a position, or have not communicated one, but the majority trend in the region appears to be to support the UN resolution for a Moratorium on the death penalty.
Brazil will support the resolution, according to a Foreign Ministry statement received by IPS. Brazil abolished the death penalty in 1979.
Argentina abolished capital punishment for common crimes in 1984. A source at the Argentine Foreign Ministry’s office on human rights told IPS that the resolution has not been sent to the Néstor Kirchner administration yet, but added that Argentina "is totally prepared to support it."
In Venezuela, where capital punishment was abolished by the constitution for all crimes in 1863, no official position on the resolution has been taken. However, sources consulted by IPS said the government is leaning towards voting in favour of the international moratorium on executions.
Caracas is also likely to support Mexico City, which formally abolished the last vestiges of the death penalty in the armed forces in 2005. In practice, though, no one has been executed in Mexico since 1961. Sources at the Mexican Foreign Ministry told IPS that the administration of Felipe Calderón "is completely against the death penalty." The most likely outcome is that Mexico will support the proposal.
However, in Peru, President Alan García will likely oppose the Moratorium because he wants to reintroduce the death penalty and has introduced a draft law in Congress.