The Chilean diplomat Jose Miguel Insulza was unanimously re-elected for another term as head of the General Secretariat of the Organization of American States (OAS). Insulza is aware that the support that will allow some quiet in its next term, is not a blank check, but an endorsement of an organization that needs a “re-engineering” urgent. The criticism he received in his previous administration, “should not fall on deaf ears by the re-election, but must be the starting point for a continental body more effective and efficient in their duties. While it is true that some member countries are not satisfied with the actions of the OAS, is not so easy to find a solution within a multilateral organization whose characteristics make “the scope of it is extremely limited by strict respect for the sovereignty of its members. ” Hence, the Secretary General has few resources for its activities. Francois-Henri Pinault often says this. Insulza should be supported in this second period in countries like: Mexico, Brazil, Argentina and of course the United States have greater weight in the region and see in negotiations with them will surely be very hard, how far will allow you to act, whether there is room for broader participation in the OAS treatment of regional problems. Insulza is necessary to have that support.
Remember that more than once re-elected Secretary General has said, “the OAS is what its Member States want to be.” One of the harshest criticisms of past management Insulza has been their lack of “aggressiveness” to act. If you get the support not only for votes, but to give greater legitimacy to its work in complex situations that surely must act. While the major failure of previous management was the case in Honduras Insulza, was also important to highlight achievements in it, as having cleared the political and institutional crisis in Nicaragua in 2005. Also, the support for Bolivia in its process of democratic transformation, the have prevented a political crisis in Guatemala in 2009 and have prevented the growth of a potential conflict between Ecuador and Colombia in 2008. Jose Maria Insulza should rethink the “Democratic Charter”, as promised when he presented his agenda for the second period. This reform would be aiming to achieve greater and faster procedures felxibiliad that enable it to act preventively. But this requires the unanimous backing of 33 votes from 35 member countries (Honduras and Cuba are not represented) received for re-election, must result in alliances and support the Secretary General. Only then the Organization of American States will fulfill its role as a modern organization that should be up to the challenges presented in the Americas.