MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

OAS rejects US democracy monitoring mechanism

The Organization of American States, OAS refused to adopt a United States proposal to monitor democracy and governance in Latinamerica and reaffirmed the charter principles of non intervention and self- determination.

Following three days of discussions the XXXV OAS General Assembly held in Fort Lauderdale, Florida agreed to accept a watered-down proposal which would allow the organization's Secretary General to report concerns about the democratic performance of member states.

Several countries in South America saw the US initiative as potentially intrusive including regional heavy weights such as Mexico and Brazil which rejected mechanisms that might seem to impose a particular interpretation of democracy. Venezuela was particularly enthusiastic since it interpreted the US initiative as directed against the regime of President Hugo Chavez and his "Bolivarian" revolution.

However Roger Noriega, US Under Secretary for Hemispheric Affairs said the agreement was a success since "our position has always been one of solidarity and moving pro actively to head off breaks in democratic order, rather than to sanction countries".

But Venezuelan Vice Foreign Affairs minister Delcy Rodriguez said the move showed the OAS was no longer an instrument of Washington and from Caracas president Hugo Chavez stated that the "resounding victory" makes the "US looks ever more isolated".

Ministers from 34 American and Caribbean countries also pledged to help Bolivia overcome the political turmoil which has seen the country paralyzed for weeks and prompted the president, Carlos Mesa to present his resignation.

Venezuela pointed out that the OAS General Assembly statement on Bolivia represented another defeat for United States "when they tried to link Venezuela with the current situation in Bolivia".

Attempts to link Bolivian opposition leader Evo Morales with President Chavez creating the "perception that that friendship is influencing the situation", failed to gain support and "no country backed Washington in its attempt to isolate Venezuela presenting us as a threat for our neighbours", said Mr. Delcy Rodriguez.

The General Assembly also voted, 19 to 14 plus an abstention to name Albert Ramdin from Surinam as Deputy Secretary General for five years. He replaces Luigi Einaudi from United States.

A resolution was passed to avoid the hemisphere becoming a sanctuary for terrorists and calls on member countries cooperation to help extradite terrorists to countries where they must face charges. This was of particular interest for Venezuela that is demanding United States hand over a former CIA anti Castro agent accused in Caracas and Havana of bombing a commercial aircraft that killed 73 people in 1976.

Finally it was decided to send a high level committee headed by OAS Secretary General Jose Miguel Insulza to Nicaragua to help find a dialogued solution to the current political situation where an opposition coalition of Sandinistas and extreme right conservatives have blocked the country's ruling administration.

President Enrique Bolaños has lost control over the legislative assembly and has appealed several times for OAS mediation. When this happens it will be Mr. Insulza's first big task as Secretary General.