OAS struggles to adapt to 21st century amid criticism of division and inaction

The Organization of American States (OAS) is grappling with a crisis of relevance, facing long-standing criticisms that it has divided rather than united the Americas. These sentiments echo remarks made by Canada's then-Foreign Minister Mitchell Sharp in the early 1970s, predating Canada's own entry into the OAS in 1990. After initial prominence following its 1948 founding, the OAS has been increasingly scrutinized for its inaction on inter-state conflicts and, more significantly, for its deference to unilateral actions by the United States, the region's dominant power and the organization's host country and primary funder.

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The OAS has served more to divide than to unite the American countries.

The current context is particularly sensitive, with the United States celebrating its 250th anniversary of independence amid a second term for Donald Trump, a leader known for his disdain for multilateral institutions like the OAS. Reports suggest Trump's administration is actively undermining the current leadership, headed by Secretary General Albert Ramdin. This tension was evident during the recent General Assembly in Panama, where Washington sought to alter the agenda, yet the final declaration strongly advocated for multilateralism, as emphasized by Deputy Secretary General Laura Gil. She acknowledged the organization's shortcomings, stating, "The importance of multilateralism must not only be declared but also demonstrated." This involves confronting criticism, evaluating past successes and failures, and making constructive corrections.

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the importance of multilateralism not only must we declare it, but also demonstrate it. And to that we are dedicated, which implies not playing the ostrich hiding its head in the sand but confronting criticism, seeing what we have done well in the past, what we have done wrong, and correcting with a constructive spirit.

Carlos Sánchez Berzaín, director of the Interamerican Institute for Democracy in Washington, argues that the OAS has become "an irrelevant organization," having lost its capacity to address fundamental issues, especially concerning democracy. Berzaín criticizes Ramdin for allegedly ignoring the principles of the Inter-American Democratic Charter by refusing to label the regimes in Venezuela, Cuba, and Nicaragua as dictatorships, a stance that contrasts with his predecessor, Luis Almagro. Berzaín believes the OAS must reclaim its role in promoting and defending democracy. Failure to do so, he warns, will result in a marginalized OAS and the United States forming alternative blocs, such as the "Shield of the Americas," and utilizing other means.

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The OAS has become an irrelevant organization

During the General Assembly in Panama, José Raúl Mulino of Panama called for strengthening democracy and respecting freedoms in the region, specifically highlighting the political and human rights crises in Nicaragua, Cuba, Venezuela, and Bolivia. This call underscores the ongoing challenges the OAS faces in fulfilling its mandate and maintaining its significance in contemporary inter-American relations.

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has lost all capacity to direct fundamental issues, especially concerning democracy