Several decades after its founding as the Western Hemisphere’s premier democratic forum, the Organization of American States (OAS) is in danger of becoming irrelevant. As a former Latin America diplomat, I say this with great regret. The OAS should be a powerful vehicle for defending democracy and promoting regional cooperation. Yet, it has been weakened and corrupted by poor leadership and structural deficiencies.
The poor leadership has come from José Miguel Insulza, a Chilean socialist who has served as secretary general of the OAS since 2005. Insulza has politicized the institution and pursued ideological causes that have little (if any) connection to Latin America’s most pressing challenges. Earlier this year, for example, Insulza spearheaded an aggressive movement to end Cuba’s 47-year-old suspension from the OAS. I have never seen the organization so energized over a single issue. In early June, Insulza and his allies got their way, as the ban on Cuban membership was lifted (though the island was not formally readmitted).
