US State Department Honors Rule of Law Initiative-trained Ecuadorian

07.09.2007

The State Department recently honored Lucy Blacio, a veteran of several ABA Rule of Law Initiative trainings, by naming her a 2007 Hero Acting to End Modern-Day Slavery.  Blacio, an Ecuadorian prosecutor, is one of eight worldwide heroes named in the 2007 Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report.

Released in June, the 2007 TIP Report praises Blacio saying:

“Threats from defendants and defense attorneys have not kept special prosecutor Lucy Blacio from successfully enforcing Ecuador’s new law against trafficking in persons.

After national legislation to criminalize trafficking in persons (TIP) was passed in June 2005, Ecuador's attorney general named Blacio the TIP special prosecutor for El Oro province in February 2006 -- one of only three appointed nationwide.

To date, Blacio’s results are impressive.  In fewer than 18 months as a TIP prosecutor, she has initiated investigations or prosecutions of more than 30 human trafficking cases and has won four convictions under Ecuador's new law against the crime.  Of note was Blacio's successful prosecution of two brothel owners charged with sexual exploitation of minors, since brothels are legal in Ecuador. Blacio also won the conviction of a defendant charged with the forced prostitution of two minors and another charged with the production of child pornography.”

Lucy Blacio has attended three Rule of Law Initiative trainings in Ecuador, including a training on investigation techniques in TIP cases and a training on successfully prosecuting TIP cases. Both were part of the ABA Rule of Law Initiative Project to Combat Trafficking in Persons in Ecuador. Blacio also attended the first seminar under the Criminal Justice Project, which focused on the importance of the relationship between the police and prosecutors in developing strong cases in an adversarial system. 

The Rule of Law Initiative is proud to work with committed, well-trained professionals who make a difference in their countries even after projects end. 

For more information about the Rule of Law Initiative’s Criminal Justice Project in Ecuador, please contact Charles Caruso at [email protected]