Washington (EFE).- Surinamese Foreign Minister Albert Ramdin was elected Monday as the new Secretary General of the Organization of the American States (OAS), succeeding Uruguay’s Luis Almagro in May.
He will become the first Caribbean leader to head the organization after his candidacy was propelled by the 14-member Caribbean Community (CARICOM).
In his first remarks as Secretary General-elect, Ramdin called for unity: “My commitment is to serve all member states of this organization. Our collective strength lies in our ability to work together.”
A consensus candidate
Ramdin was unopposed after Paraguay’s Foreign Minister Rubén Ramírez Lezcano, backed by United States President Donald Trump, withdrew due to a lack of .
He was elected by acclamation during a session in Washington, chaired by Chilean Foreign Minister Alberto van Klaveren, with participation from several regional diplomats.
The rare consensus came after years of deep divisions under Almagro, who was widely criticized by leftist governments for aligning closely with the US, the OAS’ largest financial contributor.
Needing at least 18 votes from the 34-member organization, Ramdin secured victory when he gained backing from progressive governments in Brazil, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, and Uruguay, followed by Mexico.
He also received from centrist and center-right governments in Costa Rica, Ecuador, and the Dominican Republic.
Paraguay and the US backed down
Paraguay withdrew its candidate but criticized “friendly countries” like Brazil and Uruguay for abruptly withdrawing their promised .
Following Ramdin’s election, Paraguayan Deputy Foreign Minister Víctor Verdún stated that his country had put forward a candidate “free from ideological polarization” and reaffirmed its commitment to the OAS despite the “prevailing of a different vision.”
Despite ideological differences with Ramdin, the Trump istration, largely disengaged from multilateral organizations, did not oppose Suriname’s bid.
During the session, the US State Department official Michael Kozak urged Ramdin to “prioritize the defense of democracy” and condemned Venezuela, Cuba, and Nicaragua for “robbing their people of basic rights.”
He also warned against “external adversaries seeking to expand their influence” in the region, a veiled reference to China.
From Almagro to Ramdin in May
Ramdin will assume office in May for the 2025-2030 term, during which he will face challenges including Venezuela’s crisis, escalating violence in Haiti, regional migration issues, and Trump’s trade disputes with Mexico and Canada.
He served as the OAS’ second-in-command from 2005 to 2015 under Chilean Secretary General José Miguel Insuza and has been Suriname’s Foreign Minister since 2020.
He replaces Almagro, whose tenure since 2015 was defined by a strong emphasis on democracy and human rights, particularly through his hardline stance on Venezuela and Nicaragua. EFE
er/seo/ags
