MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

OAS General Assembly condemns attack against CFK

Secretary-General Almagro also underlined the OAS' support to Argentina regarding the Malvinas issue

The 52nd General Assembly of the Organization of American States gathered in Lima, Peru, unanimously adopted a Hemispheric Declaration of Solidarity following the Sept. 1 assassination attempt in Buenos Aires against Vice President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner (CFK)

The initiative was submitted by Argentina's Foreign Ministry and endorsed by Bolivia, Colombia, Honduras, Mexico, Peru, Uruguay, Chile, Costa Rica, Panama, Guatemala, and Trinidad and Tobago.

The document declares that such an act constitutes an affront to democracy and therefore deserves the strongest condemnation. It also rejects all forms of political violence and calls for the pursuit of paths that lead to social peace and respect for democratic institutions and the rule of law.

The OAS also called once again for the “resumption” of dialogue between Argentina and the United Kingdom over the Malvinas Islands, over which the body argued Argentina has assured “legitimate rights.”

Brazil, Chile, Mexico, Uruguay, Peru, Bolivia, the Dominican Republic, Honduras, Guatemala, Costa Rica, and El Salvador were among those supporting Argentina's request, which has been considered a “Latin American cause.”

OAS Secretary General Luis Almagro underlined the body's historical support on the issue. “The inalienable territorial rights of the Argentine Republic over the Malvinas, South Georgia, and the South Sandwich Islands go together with the position of this region; a peaceful and negotiated solution is needed,” the Uruguayan Almagro stressed.

During his stay in Lima, Almagro met with Carolina Ribera, daughter of former President Jeanine Añez, after which he called for the “release of political prisoners.”

“Months ago I wrote to the OAS asking the democratic governments of the Americas to include in their daily agenda the urgent issue of the situation and release of political prisoners. Thank you Luis Almagro for listening to Carolina Ribera. Political persecution must end,” said Añez in a handwritten note delivered to Almagro.

Ribera insisted “the countries of the region and international organizations must know the truth of the Bolivian people and help us denounce each of the crimes committed by those who destroy democracy and institutionality in our country.”

However, Almagro's room for maneuvering is getting narrower by the hour as he is now under an internal investigation over an alleged personal affair with a female subordinate in violation of the organization's code of ethics, it was reported in Lima, where press reports also mentioned that at the OAS headquarters in Washington DC the case is old news to some 600 workers who are uncomfortable and intimidated by the Mexican staffer 20 years Almagro's junior.

According to reports, the relationship can be tracked down to at least 2019 in Medellin, Colombia, and has allegedly grown stronger following Almagro's separation from his second wife in 2020. OAS ethics ban staff members from intimate relationships with colleagues in a way that interferes “with the performance of their duties or harms others in the workplace.”

In case such a relationship occurs, the higher-ranking official should seek to detach himself or herself from any role supervising the other person or benefiting the person in any way. “Almagro never participated in any decision about this official's interests within the OAS,” spokesman Gonzalo Espariz said in an email to The Associated Press.

The woman, who has claimed to be an “adviser” or sometimes “senior adviser” to the secretary general, has changed her LinkedIn profile to reflect that she no longer serves in such a capacity. The OAS press office said she has been on unpaid leave since June. She is also mentioned in a biography of Almagro published in late 2020 in Uruguay by Gonzalo Ferreira and Martin Natalevich.

Almagro was elected to head the OAS with near-unanimous support in 2015 after serving as foreign minister in Uruguay. He has been known to side with the United States against the socialist governments of Cuba and Venezuela.