Almagro assures that the OAS leaves its 51st General Assembly strengthened

The general secretary of the OAS, the Uruguayan Luis AlmagroHe assured that this organization came out “especially strengthened” from the 51st General Assembly that concluded this Friday and had Guatemala as its virtual headquarters.

Almagro emphasized that the Assembly addressed “all the issues of interest in the hemisphere”, while specifying “actions that will be carried out” and approved resolutions related to the “main issues” of the American states.

Although he acknowledged that there is a “polarization”, he said that this is not “representative.”

On the contrary, he celebrated the “absolute maturity” of the 34 countries participating in the conclave that was inaugurated last Wednesday to bring to fruition “20 approved documents, the majority by consensus.”

He even highlighted that those who required a vote “had overwhelming majorities.”

The role of the OAS itself was the subject of debate in this Assembly, and even the Mexican delegation accused its secretary general, the Uruguayan Luis Almagro, of having “deeply damaged” that organization.

The permanent representative of Mexico to the OAS, Luz Elena Baños Rivas, called on Thursday for an “inclusive organization, promoter of political dialogue, cooperation, integration and development,” but “it is not,” he said.

“On the contrary, it is a space where differences and isolation deepen, and where biased agendas are promoted,” the diplomat warned.

The issue of Nicaragua was at the center of the Assembly’s agenda from beginning to end, as well as other pronouncements on the situation in Haiti, the approach to the pandemic and the humanitarian crisis in Venezuela.

The 51st period of sessions of the OAS General Assembly began last Wednesday and concluded this Friday in Guatemala virtually due to the pandemic, with some of the participants meeting at the headquarters of the organization, in Washington DC, United States.