Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07QUITO363
2007-02-13 23:07:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Quito
Cable title:
ECUADOR'S NOMINEE, INTERNATIONAL WOMEN OF COURAGE
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UNCLAS QUITO 000363
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR G/IWI
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL EC
SUBJECT: ECUADOR'S NOMINEE, INTERNATIONAL WOMEN OF COURAGE
REF: STATE 12871
UNCLAS QUITO 000363
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR G/IWI
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL EC
SUBJECT: ECUADOR'S NOMINEE, INTERNATIONAL WOMEN OF COURAGE
REF: STATE 12871
1. Summary. In response to RefTel request, Mission Ecuador
nominates Lucy Blacio, El Oro province's prosecutor for sex
crimes and trafficking in persons (TIP),as an International
Woman of Courage. Blacio has courageously worked to gain
Ecuador's first convictions under Ecuador's new anti-TIP law.
Her efforts, including speaking out on TIP and sex crimes
against minors and women, have drawn death threats; she is
under 24-hour police protection. End Summary.
2. Biographical information:
Name: Lucy Elena Blacio Pereira
Title: Prosecutor (agente fiscal)
Institution: Public Ministry, El Oro Province
Address: 9 de Octubre, Edif. Reina Pacha, Machala, El Oro
Telephone: 593-07-293-6295, cel. 099792005
3. Justification:
Ecuador's Attorney General named Lucy Blacio the TIP
prosecutor for El Oro province in February, 2006. As one of
just three such special prosecutors appointed nationwide,
Blacio's job was to enforce anti-TIP legislation that entered
into force in June, 2005. Since her designation as TIP
prosecutor, she has initiated investigation or prosecution of
over 30 TIP cases, and has already won two convictions under
Ecuador's anti-TIP law passed in June 2005. One defendant
received 12 years in prison for the forced prostitution of
two underage girls. The El Oro court sentenced another
defendant to 12 years in prison for the production of child
pornography. These are the first TIP convictions under the
new law; Blacio has set the pace for her colleagues, who are
striving to emulate her results.
In addition to her prosecutorial success, Blacio speaks out
regularly on the need to prosecute TIP and sex crimes. For
example, in 2005 she publicly criticized the Ecuadorian
Ministry of Education for attempting to resolve "internally"
the skyrocketing sexual abuse and assault claims in El Oro
secondary schools, calling for full investigation and
prosecution of all complaints. By publicizing TIP arrests,
which often occur in legal brothels, Blacio has raised the
profile and awareness of TIP as a crime; in a country where
prostitution is legal and sex and TIP crimes have only
recently begun to be vigorously pursued, her actions have
also drawn death threats.
Lucy Blacio is fast emerging as one of the most courageous
women in Ecuador for her efforts. She is not entrenched in
the political elite, does not have a decades-long career, and
does not hail from Guayaquil or Quito. But she has found her
niche as a hard working and honest prosecutor, setting an
example, getting results, and protecting women and children
in Ecuador from predators.
4. Point of Contact:
Erik Martini
Political Section
Embassy Quito
martinie@state.gov
593-2-256-2890
IVG 644 - 4424
JEWELL
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR G/IWI
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL EC
SUBJECT: ECUADOR'S NOMINEE, INTERNATIONAL WOMEN OF COURAGE
REF: STATE 12871
1. Summary. In response to RefTel request, Mission Ecuador
nominates Lucy Blacio, El Oro province's prosecutor for sex
crimes and trafficking in persons (TIP),as an International
Woman of Courage. Blacio has courageously worked to gain
Ecuador's first convictions under Ecuador's new anti-TIP law.
Her efforts, including speaking out on TIP and sex crimes
against minors and women, have drawn death threats; she is
under 24-hour police protection. End Summary.
2. Biographical information:
Name: Lucy Elena Blacio Pereira
Title: Prosecutor (agente fiscal)
Institution: Public Ministry, El Oro Province
Address: 9 de Octubre, Edif. Reina Pacha, Machala, El Oro
Telephone: 593-07-293-6295, cel. 099792005
3. Justification:
Ecuador's Attorney General named Lucy Blacio the TIP
prosecutor for El Oro province in February, 2006. As one of
just three such special prosecutors appointed nationwide,
Blacio's job was to enforce anti-TIP legislation that entered
into force in June, 2005. Since her designation as TIP
prosecutor, she has initiated investigation or prosecution of
over 30 TIP cases, and has already won two convictions under
Ecuador's anti-TIP law passed in June 2005. One defendant
received 12 years in prison for the forced prostitution of
two underage girls. The El Oro court sentenced another
defendant to 12 years in prison for the production of child
pornography. These are the first TIP convictions under the
new law; Blacio has set the pace for her colleagues, who are
striving to emulate her results.
In addition to her prosecutorial success, Blacio speaks out
regularly on the need to prosecute TIP and sex crimes. For
example, in 2005 she publicly criticized the Ecuadorian
Ministry of Education for attempting to resolve "internally"
the skyrocketing sexual abuse and assault claims in El Oro
secondary schools, calling for full investigation and
prosecution of all complaints. By publicizing TIP arrests,
which often occur in legal brothels, Blacio has raised the
profile and awareness of TIP as a crime; in a country where
prostitution is legal and sex and TIP crimes have only
recently begun to be vigorously pursued, her actions have
also drawn death threats.
Lucy Blacio is fast emerging as one of the most courageous
women in Ecuador for her efforts. She is not entrenched in
the political elite, does not have a decades-long career, and
does not hail from Guayaquil or Quito. But she has found her
niche as a hard working and honest prosecutor, setting an
example, getting results, and protecting women and children
in Ecuador from predators.
4. Point of Contact:
Erik Martini
Political Section
Embassy Quito
martinie@state.gov
593-2-256-2890
IVG 644 - 4424
JEWELL