Argentina and Bolivia criticize OAS intervention in internal affairs, urging a “rethink” of its role

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Argentina and Bolivia on Thursday challenged the Organization of American States (OAS) for its actions regarding specific situations, such as the 2019 Bolivian political crisis, and urged the regional group to “rethink” so that it should not intervene in internal affairs.

“The sad recent experience of having strayed from its foundations by supporting the interruption of the democratic order as occurred in Bolivia must be dispelled,” Argentina’s Cafiero said, recalling the role played by OAS Secretary General Luis Almagro, who supported opposition sectors and the Armed Forces in rejecting the victory of ex-president Evo Morales in the elections.

“Ideology, passions or racism clouded the judgment of many,” denounced the head of the Argentine diplomacy, stressing that “the essence” of the organization “is to preserve cooperation within the framework of respect and solidarity with a permanent commitment to dialogue.”

Cafiero assured that had the OAS remained faithful to its principles, namely of non-interference in the internal affairs of its member states, as well as of other countries, “this shameful chapter” in Latin American history would not be lamented.

“On the other hand, neither is it valid to resort to sanctions that ultimately violate the stability and peaceful coexistence of societies,” because they inevitably lead to “radical positions” that “only undermine the enjoyment of the basic rights of the most vulnerable populations,” he explained.

“The OAS must not stray from its governing principles, and must be committed to redouble its efforts to honor them, even more so in these times when a battle against a pandemic is being waged and its terrible social and economic consequences,” the Argentine Foreign Minister emphasized.

“RETHINKING THE OAS”

In the same session, Bolivia’s Foreign Minister Rogelio Mayta urged to “reflect on the meaning of the OAS” and “to think about whether it effectively fulfills its purposes and principles,” La Razón reported.

“The OAS was not and is not in the central concerns of our continent,” he lamented, to reiterate to the group that it is “a good time to rethink it.”

Likewise, he referred to the Bolivian 2019 crisis, and described Almagro’s role as “gravitational and inadequate,” while defending that the country cannot “but point” out the “truth” because “the price that the people had to pay in lives and injuries is tremendous.”

Argentina and Mexico have been two of the regional organization’s member states most critical of the OAS and its secretary general for the role played during the political crisis in Bolivia following the October 2019 elections.

After a brief passage through Mexico to escape harassment by pro-coup forces, Morales headed for Argentina, where he remained until November 2020, once the victory of Movimiento al Socialismo’s (MAS) Luis Arce was confirmed in that year’s October elections.

On the other hand, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken intervened in the OAS Assembly on Thursday, urging to speak out against the actions of Nicaragua and Cuba, and more generally, “against governments that abandon democracy and violently oppress human rights.”

“The credibility of the OAS as an institution that upholds democracy depends on living up to the Democratic Charter,” he said in an intervention that Almagro thanked.

“Thank you for your words. We look forward to working with you (Blinken) to ensure that our continent will be free and prosperous,” he tweeted in response to a message of support from the Secretary of State.

In reaction to Blinken’s intervention, Cuba’s Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez stated that the Secretary of State “confirms the hypocritical attitude of his government and that of its instrument of hemispheric domination: the OAS.”

“When talking about democracy, (the Secretary of State) should explain the role of Washington and the OAS in the coup d’état against the government of Bolivia in 2019,″ he said, also ratifying his support for the Executive of Daniel Ortega in Nicaragua before Washington’s “unacceptable interventionist stance” by adopting a law imposing new sanctions on the Central American country.