Calay News
At the annual assembly of the Organization of American States (OAS) in Washington, DC, a consensus is being sought to condemn the human rights crisis in Nicaragua. During the first plenary session, several resolutions were approved on issues such as international law, human rights, civil society participation, telecommunications, and ports. The 50th anniversary of the coup d’état in Chile was also recalled.
One of the most controversial issues being debated in the general committee is a draft resolution on human rights in Nicaragua, which has generated controversy due to changes introduced by Brazil to soften the terms of the original text. Brazil argued that the OAS should promote dialogue among the countries of the region, regardless of the nature of their political, economic, and social systems, and that leaving the organization leads to lost opportunities for conciliation and the search for solutions.
Nicaragua announced its exit from the OAS in November 2021 after the organization did not recognize the elections in which President Daniel Ortega was reelected and his potential rivals were imprisoned or in exile. The process of leaving the OAS has been two years in the making.
In addition to the crisis in Nicaragua, other issues, such as the situation in Haiti, climate change, and migrant children, are also pending. Some countries have highlighted the role of the OAS in the region, but Argentina and Bolivia have expressed criticism of the organization, arguing that it has moved away from the principles established in its charter and that it is ideologized with an interventionist tendency.
In the midst of these discussions, the need to reform the Inter-American Democratic Charter to adapt it to the new reality dominated by technology has been raised. In addition, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) was criticized for overreaching its functions in the reports that affect some countries, although it has not been disowned.
The general assembly also served as a tribute to former US President Jimmy Carter, who left a legacy on the continent with his mediation in conflicts, his contribution to the reestablishment of democracy in Argentina, and his participation in the Panama Canal treaties.
Outside the building, a group of Honduran activists protested to demand the dismissal of their country’s ambassador to the OAS, alleging that he is “anti-immigrant, misogynist, confessed pedophile, homophobic, sexual assaulter, and racist.”
