US interests in the OAS: condemn Nicaragua, Venezuela, and Russia

The presence of the US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, at the OAS General Assembly in Lima brings with it Washington’s interest in discussing the conflict in Ukraine and its consequences for the region, in addition to its position regarding Nicaragua, Venezuela, and migratory phenomena.

The 52nd General Assembly of the Organization of American States (OAS) brings together more than 30 delegations at the highest political-diplomatic level under the theme “Together against inequality and discrimination” in the Peruvian capital from October 5 to 7.

The summit seeks to reaffirm the commitment of the countries of the region to democracy, human rights, security, and sustainable development, among other issues.

However, it will be marked by US diplomatic moves regarding the country’s positioning in the region.

During his tour of South America in the framework of the assembly, Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with the presidents of Colombia, Chile, and Peru – “long-time partners” of the US, according to the Peruvian press-, three governments that have recently shifted to the center-left and in a context of significant Chinese investments in the region.

Ned Price, the spokesman for the US State Department, said that Blinken would chair the Summit Implementation Review Group to “address the implementation of the commitments made at the Ninth Summit of the Americas and reaffirm the important role of the OAS in promoting democracy, human rights, sustainable development, and security cooperation in the Western Hemisphere”.

US Deputy Secretary of State Brian Nichols stated in a press conference that the approach to Colombia, Chile, and Peru is not determined by their ideological stance nor by the advance of Chinese influence in the region.

“We do not judge countries based on their position on the political spectrum, but rather on their commitment to democracy, the rule of law, and human rights,” said Nichols, who is in charge of Latin America at the State Department.

“Never before have we had such a strong relationship with the region. We have redoubled efforts and assistance to help countries deal with migration issues by providing hundreds of millions of dollars,” Nichols noted.

Blinken’s agenda for the 52nd OAS Assembly includes discussion and condemnation of the Russian special military operation in Ukraine and the referendums on the accession of Ukrainian regions to the Russian Federation.

“We expect strong support from all OAS member states on the resolution on Ukraine, Haiti, Nicaragua,” Nichols told reporters.

Washington will press Latin American countries to condemn the government of Daniel Ortega in Nicaragua, which left the OAS in 2021 after the body charged the presidential election process and alleged human rights violations in the country.

The US agenda also contemplates discussing the human rights situation in Venezuela, a member that split from the OAS in 2019 after President Nicolás Maduro accused the body’s secretary general, Luis Almagro, of interventionism in the wake of the 2017 Venezuelan political crisis.

After three years, the Lima assembly will be the first opportunity in which there will be no representation of the Venezuelan opposition led by Juan Guaidó.

Another of the issues that will mark the US agenda in Lima will be the enactment of a plan to take on the challenge of Latin American migration to the US and the humanitarian crises it brings.

Another issue to be discussed will be the election of a new president of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) following the dismissal of Mauricio Claver-Carone for violating the financial organization’s code of ethics.

With information from Sputnik