History and Background:
– The OAS was founded on April 30, 1948, with a focus on human rights, electoral oversight, and security.
– The idea of an international union in the Americas was first proposed by José de San Martín and Simón Bolívar.
– The organization was initially called the International Union of American Republics and later changed to the Union of American Republics.
– The Pan American Union Building in Washington, D.C., was constructed in 1910.
– The OAS transitioned from the Pan American Union, with the Charter signed in 1948.
– The first Secretary General of the OAS was Alberto Lleras Camargo.
Recent History and Milestones:
– The OAS conducted audits of the 2019 and 2020 Bolivian general elections.
– In November 2021, the OAS condemned the Nicaraguan general election outcome.
– Nicaragua initiated its withdrawal from the OAS in 2021, completed in 2023.
– Milestones include the creation of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights and the Inter-American Development Bank.
– The OAS suspended Cuba in 1962 and applied sanctions against the Dominican Republic in 1960.
Criticism and Controversies:
– The OAS faced criticism for its handling of electoral observations and reports.
– Media outlets debated whether events in Bolivia constituted a coup.
– Studies questioned the accuracy of the OAS’s statistical analysis.
– The New York Times suggested flaws in the OAS’s analysis of the 2020 Bolivian election.
– Mexico and the CEPR criticized the OAS for interfering in Bolivia’s internal affairs.
Membership and Organizational Structure:
– The OAS has 35 active member states and 69 observer states, including the European Union.
– The General Assembly is the supreme decision-making body, convening annually with one vote per state.
– The OAS has a General Secretariat, Permanent Council, and Inter-American Council for Integral Development.
– The General Secretariat consists of six secretariats with a budget of $85 million in 2018.
– The OAS seeks to strengthen peace, security, and democracy in the Americas.
Regional Dynamics and Special Cases:
– Canada’s journey to OAS membership, from observer status in 1972 to full membership in 1990.
– Cuba’s suspension in 1962 and subsequent reintegration under the Inter-American Democratic Charter in 2009.
– Honduras’ suspension from 2009 to 2011 following political events in the country.
– Creation of the Unit for the Promotion of Democracy with Canada’s key involvement.
– Venezuela’s notification of denunciation of the OAS Charter in 2017 and Nicaragua’s withdrawal in 2023.
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The Organization of American States (OAS or OEA; Spanish: Organización de los Estados Americanos; Portuguese: Organização dos Estados Americanos; French: Organisation des États américains) is an international organization founded on 30 April 1948 to promote cooperation among its member states within the Americas.
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Headquartered in Washington, D.C., United States, the OAS is a "multilateral regional body focused on human rights, electoral oversight, social and economic development, and security in the Western Hemisphere", according to the Council on Foreign Relations. As of November 2023, 32 states in the Americas are OAS members.
Luis Almagro of Uruguay was inaugurated as OAS secretary general in 2015.
