WASHINGTON, CMC – Antigua and Barbuda Ambassador to the Organization of American States (OAS), Sir Ronald Sanders, has found a use for Venezuela’s seat at the hemispheric body.
During the 53rd OAS General Assembly, Sir Ronald revealed an amusing yet compelling truth that the only practical use of Venezuela’s heart at the OAS is as a convenient resting place for his briefcase.
In February 2029, the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) chastised OAS Secretary General Luis Almagro about his “unilateral” stance in accepting Juan Guaido as interim president of Venezuela.
According to the constitution, Guaido has challenged incumbent President Nicolas Maduro’s power, declaring himself interim president of Venezuela. Maduro’s presidency was illegitimate, he said, because the elections were illegal and fraudulent.
But Sir Sanders had noted that the Venezuela seat has been empty since January when the purported presidency of Juan Guaidó collapsed, having not paid any money to the Organization.
The alphabetical seating arrangement at the OAS starts with Antigua and Barbuda. It ends with Venezuela, and by his playful observation, Ambassador Sanders raised a serious matter that had adversely affected the OAS since 2019 when the government of Venezuela withdrew from membership of the Organization, having given two years’ notice by the OAS Charter.
From the outset of the anointment of Juan Guaidó as the President of Venezuela by a few countries, many of which have since reversed their position, Antigua and Barbuda has argued that the recognition of Guaidó by the OAS was contrary to the rules of the Organization and is illegal.
Speaking at the OAS General Assembly last week, Ambassador Sanders expressed his deep reservations regarding the continued inclusion of “mythical” contributions from Cuba and Venezuela, both of which have severed their connections with the OAS.
Sir Ronald stressed that by continuing to book membership subscriptions from these two countries, a misleading representation of the Organization’s actual financial situation is being perpetuated.
He also emphasized that Venezuela and Cuba exercise an “unwanted veto” on decision-making at the OAS since a two-thirds voting majority is calculated on 35 member states or 24 votes. In contrast, there are now only 33 members, and two-thirds should be 22.
“Membership of the OAS by Cuba and Venezuela is first a decision of their governments; it is impractical and unrealistic for any other governments to claim otherwise,” Ambassador Sanders said, repeatedly urging the OAS member states to address this issue earnestly, recognizing the necessity to rectify both the misleading accounts of the Organization and the distorting effect on its decision making.
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