Refound the OAS or exclude the United States? Mexico returns to the fray during the Summit of the Americas

Mexico land a blow again, this time during the IX Summit of the Americaswhich he questioned so much before his start this week in Los Angeles. Marcelo Ebrardhis foreign secretary, maintained that “the role it plays” the Organization of American States (OAS), sold out.

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“Because of the new reality, the proposal that Mexico wishes to make […] is that we form a working group to present the project for refounding the inter-American order“, held.

And I add: “It is evident that the Organization of American States and their way of acting are exhausted before that reality”.

Later, Ebrard himself revealed the true reason for the proposal: “Why don’t we rethink the ?”.

With those words, the foreign minister was not only questioning the decision of the host of the summit, USAfor not inviting Cuba, Venezuela Y Nicaragua; but it dealt a blow to the institution based in Washington.

To understand Ebrard’s speech, the Analyst Oscar Vidarte proposes three angles. The first has to do with observing the role that the OAS. It is true, he says, that the organization has had many problems dealing with the most important problems in the region, almost always linked to the defense of democracy.

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“For example, in the topic Venezuelanits general secretary, Luis Almagro, practically became an activist against Nicholas Maduro. Then, somehow, the re-election of Evo Morales in bolivia and, later and strangely, also his departure from power”.

Hence, during the current Summit of the Americasa person interrupted Almagro and accused him of “having their hands stained with the blood of the dozens of people who died in Bolivia in 2019″.

“criticism happens because Venezuela left the OAS and Nicaragua is following the same path. That is, it is an organism whose members leave. And that denotes something”.

Participation of Mexico in the Summit of the Americas this morning: pic.twitter.com/bFNtdz5sL4

– Marcelo Ebrard C. (@m_ebrard) June 8, 2022

It second What must be taken into consideration to understand Ebrard, says Vidarte, is that, to a large extent, the OAS “It depends on countries like USAwhich has always been a burden because it generates limitations”.

The clearest would be the non-invitation of certain countries to the Summit of the Americasan argument that is not supported because the founding letter of the meeting states that only democratic countries are admitted.

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Water for your mill

The third element proposed by Vidarte is the Mexican foreign policy. What Ebrard said should be understood as the way in which his country seeks leadership in the region in a “moment in which neither Brazil nor Argentina offer it”. “Ironically, during the first years of the AMLO government there was not much interest”.

To support his logic, the non-intervention argument is key.

“Mexico has a very particular vision on the matter, let’s say, more classical, despite the fact that today the debates on the subject are more complex. ”.

For Ebrard, the solution of the problems does not go through the OAS. Rather, it is about trusting that the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States will guide the destiny of the region. “He talks about the Celac as an integration mechanism, which it is not, and says that it could serve for a Latin American transition to something that could resemble the European Union”.

“The presence of the Argentine President Alberto Fernandez at the Summit of the Americas on behalf of CELAC, and that this be coordinated with his Mexican counterpart. That makes it clear that Mexico is exerting significant influence”.

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However, for Vidarte it is clear that all the problems that the OAS is experiencing -”that the countries are no longer interested in being a part and that their departures from the organization do not generate anything”- are not solely your own fault, because it is not that you have “great tools”.

The Foreign Minister of Mexico, Marcelo Ebrard. REUTERS (DANIEL BECERRIL/)

“What Ebrard says has a part that is true, criticism, but it would be necessary to see what he proposes. One thing is to refound the OAS and another is to make it disappear. It would also be necessary to see if Mexico achieves consensus and regional support, and transforms this matter into a leadership”.

“But these are longer processes: the refounding of the Latin American system does not happen through a speech, especially since it is a fractured region and with dissimilar tendencies.”.

In any case, Vidarte maintains that this situation is a good opportunity to reflect on the OAS, “which has shown shortcomings and has lost importance”. He sentences:

“What are we talking about when we say that we want to refound the OAS? To throw out the United States? Do we want to put it aside and promote CELAC? I don’t know if that is the most desirable path”.

Source: Elcomercio