Luz Elena Baños – The Financier

Mexico on Thursday questioned the work of the Organization of American States (OAS) during its 51st General Assembly and pointed out to its Secretary General, the Uruguayan Luis Almagro, of having “deeply damaged” that body.

“The OAS should be an inclusive organization, promoter of political dialogue, cooperation, integration and development of the member states, but it is not,” said the permanent representative of Mexico to the OAS, Luz Elena Baños Rivas, during his speech at the regional meeting.

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

The words of the Mexican official took place during the second day of the General Assembly of the international organization, which takes place from November 10 to 12 in Guatemala as a virtual headquarters.

Baños said that the OAS “seeks to provide solutions from outside to local problems” with “decisions that are against international law” and the entity’s own ‘letter’ of foundation.

The Mexican official cited the unequal distribution of vaccines against COVID-19 as an example of ‘challenges’ that have not been faced by the OAS and the political crisis suffered by Bolivia in 2019.

He also reiterated that “Mexico rejects any attempt to change the institutional order of any country,” in turn expressing his disappointment that the OAS closed the investigation related to what happened in Bolivia in 2019.

“Almagro acts with convenience”

The representative of Mexico also criticized the “management” of Almagro, who in her opinion “has deeply damaged the organization.”

Baños questioned, among others, Almagro’s role during Bolivia’s political crisis in 2019 and the ‘biased’ behavior of the Secretary General.

“We regret that the secretary general prefers the short and easy path of imposing interests on a part of the membership” of the OAS, said Baños, adding that to build disagreements, you do not need “any multilateral organization.”

The diplomat said that “it is enough to review the social networks” of Almagro to “verify his intense personal agenda talking about issues that are his personal priorities, often far from the interests, needs and challenges of our peoples and governments.”

Delegations from 34 countries will participate until Friday in the deliberations of the main organ of the OAS.

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