Organization of American States (OAS)

By any objective measure, the ninth Summit of the Americas, hosted by the United States in Los Angeles from June 6鈥10, was a failure, writes聽Ian Ellis-Jones.

Members of Sydney鈥檚 Latin American community want the Organization of American States general secretary Luis Almagro prosecuted and the regional body abolished. Federico Fuentes reports.

A new round of United States sanctions against Venezuela, this time directed against three individuals and their businesses, was rebuffed on May 7 by Samuel Moncada, the Bolivarian Republic鈥檚 Vice Minister for Foreign Relations.

The United States administration has stepped up聽its efforts聽at 鈥渞egime change鈥 in Venezuela in recent weeks.

Venezuela鈥檚 National Constituent Assembly (ANC) has approved a proposal to hold presidential elections before聽April 30.聽

The move came a day after the European Union announced sanctions targeting seven Venezuelan senior state officials on January 22.

Members states of the Organization of American States (OAS) have聽once again聽failed to reach consensus to 鈥渢ake action on Venezuela,鈥 which Caracas regards as interference in its internal affairs.聽

At a July 26 meeting of the OAS Permanent Council in Washington, 13 countries read a declaration calling on the Venezuelan government to abandon the July 30聽Constituent Assembly elections.

That was two fewer member states than supported a similar resolution at the OAS foreign ministers' meeting on June 19, and five short of the number needed to pass a resolution.

Bolivian President Evo Morales offered to 鈥渇ree鈥 Organization of American States, OAS, Secretary General Luis Almagro from the 鈥淣orth American empire鈥 on June 24

鈥淚 offer to free brother Luis Almagro from submission to the North American empire,鈥 Morales said in a tweet. 鈥淎ll for the dignity and sovereignty of our peoples.鈥

The message came only hours after Almargo declared that he would resign 鈥渇or freedom in Venezuela.鈥

The Organisation of American States (OAS) and its current secretary general Luis Almagro has pursued policies that aggravate the current crisis in Venezuela.

Rather than providing a way to help mediate the bitter conflict in Venezuela, Almagro has joined one side.

The position of the OAS sadly reflects the longer history of the organisation.

The Bolivarian government of Venezuela, together with its allies in Latin America, have repelled a serious attack on its sovereignty within the Organisation of American Unity (OAS). The attack was led by right-wing OAS secretary-general Luis Almagro, and backed to the hilt by the US government.

After a lengthy debate triggered by Almagro鈥檚 call to suspend Venezuela from the body, an extraordinary session of the OAS in Santo Domingo, in the Dominican Republic, ended on March 28 without a formal vote on the issue.

After hours of debate, the Organization of American States (OAS) extraordinary session on March 28 came to a close with member-states failing to reach a consensus over Venezuela鈥檚 suspension.

Despite OAS Secretary General Luis Almagro鈥檚 insistent attempts to push for Venezuela鈥檚 expulsion, the 35 member-states expressed mixed opinions regarding the application of the regional body鈥檚 Democratic Charter against the South American country. Needing a two-thirds majority to invoke the charter, the session ended without a vote.聽

Venezuela鈥檚 ambassador to the Organisation of American States (OAS), Carmen Velazquez, interrupted a media conference held by Secretary General Luis Almagro with Venezuelan opposition leaders聽on March 20, which she slammed as a violation of the organisation鈥檚 internal norms.聽

Venezuelan Minister of Foreign Relations Delcy Rodriguez issued an on March 14 rejecting Organization of American States (OAS) Secretary General Luis Almagro鈥檚 calling for the suspension of the South American nation if general elections are not held 鈥渁s quickly as possible鈥.