Dr Catalina Vasquez Figueroa

Country Expert — Chile, Paraguay, Uruguay: Human Rights, Political Situation & Asylum Cases

Expert at The Human Rights Experts, an international expert witness organisation.

We provide expert witness reports for asylum cases worldwide, covering human rights violations, political persecution, and systemic oppression. Our reports are trusted by lawyers, courts, and immigration authorities, in full compliance with procedural standards and tribunal requirements in the UK (CPR Part 35, Upper Tribunal PD, First-tier Tribunal IAC PD), USA (Federal Rules of Evidence), Canada, and the EU.

Occupation

• Country Witness Expert on the Southern Cone
• Human Rights Specialist
• Legal Researcher and Academic Consultant
• Independent Journalist and Investigative Reporter on Human Rights

Expertise

I provide expert analysis on all five Refugee Convention grounds — political opinion, religion, ethnicity, membership of a particular social group (including LGBT and gender-based cases), and nationality — with a focus on the following countries:

Chile: Chile is navigating a period of significant political transformation following the mass social uprisings of 2019, during which security forces committed widespread human rights violations, including torture, sexual violence, and the use of shotgun pellets causing permanent eye injuries to hundreds of protesters. Accountability for these abuses remains largely absent. Indigenous Mapuche communities in the Araucania and Biobio regions face ongoing criminalisation of their land rights activism under anti-terrorism legislation, with documented patterns of excessive police force and racial profiling. Gender-based violence and femicide persist at high rates despite legislative reforms. LGBT individuals benefit from civil union and anti-discrimination laws but continue to face hate crimes and social prejudice, particularly outside Santiago. Migrant communities, especially Haitians and Venezuelans, encounter systemic xenophobia and barriers to regularisation.

Paraguay: Paraguay is characterised by deeply entrenched corruption, extreme land inequality, and weak institutional capacity that disproportionately affects indigenous and campesino communities. Indigenous peoples, including the Ache and Ayoreo, face severe poverty, forced displacement driven by soybean monoculture expansion, and systematic exclusion from political participation and public services. Political opposition figures and journalists investigating corruption face threats, surveillance, and selective prosecution. Gender-based violence is pervasive, with rural women facing acute barriers to accessing justice and protective services. LGBT individuals encounter widespread societal discrimination, violence, and exclusion, with no legal recognition of same-sex relationships or comprehensive anti-discrimination protections. Religious minorities outside the Catholic and Evangelical mainstream face social marginalisation in rural communities.

Uruguay: Uruguay is generally recognised for its strong democratic traditions and progressive social legislation, yet significant human rights challenges persist. Afro-Uruguayan communities face systemic economic marginalisation, overrepresentation in the criminal justice system, and discrimination in employment and education. Gender-based violence remains a critical concern, with femicide rates that have not decreased despite legislative advances. LGBT individuals enjoy comprehensive legal protections, including marriage equality and gender identity recognition, but face social prejudice and discrimination in practice, particularly in rural departments. Migrant and refugee populations from Cuba, Venezuela, and the Dominican Republic face barriers to employment and social integration. Prison overcrowding and conditions of detention raise serious concerns. Police conduct in marginalised urban areas has drawn criticism for excessive force.

Experience

• Expert Witness (2016—Present): Regularly instructed by legal practitioners in the United Kingdom and the United States to prepare expert reports and provide oral testimony in asylum and immigration proceedings relating to Chile, Paraguay, and Uruguay, addressing political persecution, indigenous rights, and gender-based violence.
• Country Condition Reports: Authored detailed country condition reports for courts, tribunals, and legal representatives on the full range of Refugee Convention grounds across the Southern Cone.
• Academic Researcher, Universidad de Santiago de Chile (USACH): Conducted university-level research on transitional justice, indigenous rights, and political repression in the Southern Cone, contributing to scholarly publications and policy debate.
• Consultant to Human Rights Organisations: Provided expert analysis on state violence, discrimination, and forced migration patterns to regional and international non-governmental organisations.
• Expert Member of The Human Rights Experts: Active expert within The Human Rights Experts international expert witness organisation, contributing to analytical frameworks and quality standards for reports on Chile, Paraguay, and Uruguay.

Full professional experience is available in the CV. Please email us to receive the detailed expert CV.

Publications

Available upon request and detailed in the expert CV.

Languages

• Spanish (Native)
• English (Fluent)
• Portuguese (Reading Proficiency)

Religious Groups Expertise

All religious groups

Contact Email

info@thehuman-rights.com