ABSTRACT
Positive and dramatic changes have taken place in Latin America: systematic human rights violations are a thing of the past, electoral democracy has taken hold, political crises are resolved through constitutional means, access to public information is viewed as a right, and importantly, the citizenry is now more aware of its own rights. The progress the Inter-American Court has made in developing human rights standards and, especially, its increasing impact on the operational criteria of national institutions should now be a source of real optimism and hope for the future of democracy and human rights in the Americas. Latin America and its peoples have played a significant role in the furtherance of these ideals. The most dramatic and impressive impact of the Inter-American Court, however, has been its influence on national tribunals. In the process of national incorporation of Inter-American rulings, a decision taken in 2007 by the Peruvian Constitutional Tribunal is particularly relevant.
