Orlando Castillo

Orlando Castillo is the Commissioner of the National Mechanism for the Prevention of Torture in his country, where he has been vocal about the urgent need for improved mental health policies, particularly in the context of drug addiction among adolescents. In recent discussions, he highlighted the increasing prevalence of mental health issues exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, emphasizing that the state has failed to adequately address these challenges through comprehensive and multidisciplinary approaches. Castillo criticized current government programs, arguing that they are overly focused on security and punitive measures rather than on the necessary mental health support and community engagement needed to effectively tackle addiction and its associated problems.