Each year, the Klau Institute for Civil and Human Rights awards Rita Bahr Cari Fellowships to select students in Notre Dame’s LL.M. Program in International Human Rights Law who have demonstrated a commitment to human rights in Latin America through their academic and professional careers.
The fellowships are made possible by a memorial fund that Joseph Cari ’74, ’78 J.D. endowed in 2001 in honor of his late wife, Rita Bahr Cari, who spent much of her youth in Latin America and became an accomplished attorney.
This year’s fellows are Carlos Chinchilla of Honduras, Roselis Díaz De Freitas of Venezuela, Pablo A. Proaño of Ecuador, and José Pablo Sánchez Cardona of Mexico.
Carlos Chinchilla
Carlos Chinchilla is a Honduran attorney who is pursuing his LL.M. to deepen his expertise in how constitutional and human rights law addresses political dynamics and safeguards human dignity amid contemporary challenges.
Chinchilla worked at the Supreme Court of Honduras before coming to Notre Dame. He contributed to the constitutional review of legislation and advised the judiciary on compliance with international human rights obligations. Prior to his positions in the judiciary, he worked for the Honduras Ministry of Human Rights and interned at the Inter-American Court of Human Rights.
Chinchilla is a Blackstone Legal Fellow, a training and summer internship program for Christian law students. “God gives us the strength to fight and to suffer for love of the common good, because he is our All, our greatest hope,” he said.
Roselis Díaz De Freitas
Roselis Díaz De Freitas is an international human rights lawyer from Venezuela with experience in strategic litigation, research, and advocacy across national, regional, and international settings.
Díaz De Freitas has represented victims of political persecution in Venezuela as well as individuals affected by human rights violations across Latin America, including Colombia, Mexico, Panama, El Salvador, and Peru. She has experience engaging with the Inter-American and United Nations human rights systems, and has also contributed to academic and clinical projects. Her profile combines legal practice with research and writing, including publications on human rights and democratic governance.
“Being at Notre Dame and collaborating with the Klau Institute has given me the opportunity to amplify the voices of those fighting for democracy and human rights in Venezuela, while strengthening my advocacy across Latin America,” she said.
Pablo A. Proaño
Pablo A. Proaño is an Ecuadorian attorney specializing in constitutional law and international human rights.
During his career, he has contributed legal research and drafting to support judicial decision-making at the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, participated in constitutional litigation and advocacy initiatives alongside NGOs at the Constitutional Court of Ecuador, and provided legal expertise before the Ecuadorian National Assembly. His academic work includes publications on constitutional adjudication, state responsibility, and the relationship between human rights, democracy, and the common good.
“The Klau Institute, as part of the Notre Dame family, has provided to me valuable networking opportunities to promote human dignity and work for human rights,” Proaño said. “It has also fostered multicultural and multidisciplinary relationships, which are necessary in a globalized context.”
José Pablo Sánchez
José Pablo Sánchez has worked in and with different Mexico-based NGO's that defend and promote fundamental freedoms, including freedom of speech, religious freedom, and parental rights. He also runs a boutique legal practice through which he advises national and international clients on corporate business matters in Mexico.
His prior experience includes working as a staff attorney in the mayor’s office of his hometown, Monterrey, where he led key legislative initiatives and special projects to protect and promote human rights while also representing the city in constitutional litigation before Mexico’s Supreme Court.