Correa - OAS continues to be tool of domination

Ecuadorean President Rafael Correa speaks with members of the press in Rio Bamba, Chimborazo, March 20, 2015 | Photo: Presidency of Ecuador

Ecuadorean President Rafael Correa said that despite the election of a new secretary-general, the Organization of American States (OAS) continues to be an instrument of domination of the United States and Canada.

Regional leaders recently gathered in Washington to elect former Uruguayan Foreign Minister Luis Almagro as the new head of the organization. Many Latin American leaders have expressed hope that the OAS under Almagro will mark a departure from the previous administration of Jose Miguel Insulza, who was seen as being too close to Washington.

“Luis Almagro is a dear friend and he is familiar with our position,” said Correa during an interview with local journalists on Friday.

President Correa stated that he believed the United States and Canada have too much influence over the OAS and that as a result it would be difficult to change its course. He also pointed to hypocritical stances taken by the body, such as the expulsion of Cuba in 1962 after the consolidation of the Cuban Revolution, while many countries in Latin America with U.S.-backed dictatorships were allowed to remain part of the OAS.

In an effort to move away from the influence of the United States, the presidents of Latin America have created the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) and the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR), both of which deliberately exclude the United States and Canada.

President Correa said that the election of a new secretary-general would not be enough to change the OAS. In light of that he suggested that the OAS should take a backseat to a body such as CELAC and instead serve as a meeting space between the member-states of CELAC and the U.S and Canada.

Calling it an “unjustifiable shame,” Correa also criticized that the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights is headquartered in the United States despite the fact that the U.S. has not ratified its convention and thus is not subject to its jurisdiction.

The Ecuadorean head of state suggested that regional leaders create a new organization to defend human rights in Latin America. “I believe Latin America needs something new, something better and something that is ours,” said Correa.

Under Correa, the Ecuadorean government has been moving away from institutions it considers to be dominated by the U.S and has pursued a policy of regional integration.

“Without a doubt, UNASUR is a reality and we've had some large achievements such as the South American Defense Council and the planning of inter-regional infrastructure,” said Correa.

Ecuador decided to voluntarily leave the Inter-American Defense Board, affiliated with the OAS. Choosing to instead prioritize cooperation with the South American Defense Council, a body affiliated with UNASUR.

UNASUR, headquartered in Ecuador, has created a number of institutions designed to promote regional integration, such as the bank of the south.

The heads of state and government from Latin America, the Caribbean, Canada and the U.S. will meet in Panama in April of this year for the OAS-led Summit of the Americas. It will be the first summit to include the participation of a delegation from Cuba, however U.S. sanctions on Venezuela are expected to be a topic of contention at the gathering.

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