SICA Overcomes Ortega Blockade, Elects New Secretary General

The Central American Integration System (SICA) has moved past a significant period of institutional paralysis, electing Costa Rican diplomat Lina Eugenia Ajoy Rojas as its new Secretary General. This development effectively closes a chapter marked by the Nicaraguan regime's persistent efforts to place its political operatives in key SICA leadership roles.

For over three and a half years, spanning two distinct terms, SICA's Secretary General position remained vacant due to the Nicaraguan dictatorship's refusal to yield on its insistence to install its preferred candidates. The regime's strategy involved repeatedly proposing individuals to advance its international agenda within the regional body, notably advocating for the expulsion of Taiwan as an observer and the inclusion of China and Russia.

The breakthrough in filling the leadership vacuum came after SICA members approved a reform to the organization's internal voting regulations. This crucial adjustment replaced the requirement for unanimous consensus with a system of qualified majority for decision-making, including the election of the Secretary General. This technical change effectively dismantled the obstructionist tactics employed by the Nicaraguan dictatorship.

With the election of Rojas, SICA, founded in December 1991 and comprising Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, and the Dominican Republic, now has its first female and first Costa Rican leader. The reform paved the way for Costa Rica to present its slate of candidates, leading to Rojas's successful appointment.