The head of the OAS is the Secretary General; the incumbent is Uruguayan Luis Almagro. == History == The notion of an international union in the New World was first put forward during the liberation of the Americas by José de San Martín and Simón Bolívar who, at the 1826 Congress of Panama (still being part of Colombia), proposed creating a league of American republics, with a common military, a mutual defense pact, and a supranational parliamentary assembly.
Bolívar's dream of inter-American unity was meant to unify Hispanic American nations against external powers. The pursuit of regional solidarity and cooperation again came to the forefront in 1889–1890, at the First International Conference of American States.
These two bodies, in existence as of 14 April 1890, represent the point of inception to which the OAS and its General Secretariat trace their origins. At the fourth International Conference of American States (Buenos Aires, 1910), the name of the organization was changed to the Union of American Republics and the Bureau became the Pan American Union.
Gathered together in Washington, D.C., 18 nations resolved to found the International Union of American Republics, served by a permanent secretariat called the Commercial Bureau of the American Republics (renamed the International Commercial Bureau at the Second International Conference in 1901–1902).
These two bodies, in existence as of 14 April 1890, represent the point of inception to which the OAS and its General Secretariat trace their origins. At the fourth International Conference of American States (Buenos Aires, 1910), the name of the organization was changed to the Union of American Republics and the Bureau became the Pan American Union.
The Pan American Union Building was constructed in 1910, on Constitution Avenue, Northwest, Washington, D.C. In the mid-1930s, U.S.
Members with later admission dates (sorted chronologically): (member since 1967) (1967) (1969) (1975) (1977) (1979) (1979) (1981) (1981) (1982) (1984) (1990) (1991) (1991) === Notes === === Canada and the OAS === Although Canada was a founding member of the League of Nations in 1919 and has joined international organizations since that date, it chose not to join the OAS when it was first formed, despite its close relations with the United States.
The Organization of American States (Organización de los Estados Americanos, Organização dos Estados Americanos, Organisation des États américains, Organisatie van Amerikaanse Staten), or the OAS or OEA, is an international organization that was founded on 30 April 1948 for the purposes of solidarity and co-operation among its member states within the Western Hemisphere.
This was the event that saw the birth of the OAS as it stands today, with the signature by 21 American countries of the Charter of the Organization of American States on 30 April 1948 (in effect since December 1951).
Upon its foundation in 1948, there were 21 members, most of them are in Latin America: The later expansion of the OAS included Canada and the newly independent nations of the Caribbean.
This was the event that saw the birth of the OAS as it stands today, with the signature by 21 American countries of the Charter of the Organization of American States on 30 April 1948 (in effect since December 1951).
Additionally an economic blockade that affected the exports of sugar was applied, which at that time was the pillar of the Dominican economy. It was the first application of the Inter-American Treaty of Reciprocal Assistance, which had been adopted at the OAS on July 29, 1960. === Status of Cuba === The current government of Cuba was excluded from participation in the Organization under a decision adopted by the Eighth Meeting of Consultation in Punta del Este, Uruguay, on 31 January 1962.
Since 1960, the Cuban administration had repeatedly characterized the OAS as the "Ministry of Colonies" of the United States of America.
Its stated priorities now include the following: Strengthening democracy: Between 1962 and 2002, the Organization sent multinational observation missions to oversee free and fair elections in the member states on more than 100 occasions.
Additionally an economic blockade that affected the exports of sugar was applied, which at that time was the pillar of the Dominican economy. It was the first application of the Inter-American Treaty of Reciprocal Assistance, which had been adopted at the OAS on July 29, 1960. === Status of Cuba === The current government of Cuba was excluded from participation in the Organization under a decision adopted by the Eighth Meeting of Consultation in Punta del Este, Uruguay, on 31 January 1962.
President Barack Obama and Cuban leader Raúl Castro, OAS Secretary General José Miguel Insulza said he would ask the 2009 General Assembly to annul the 1962 resolution excluding Cuba. On 3 June 2009, foreign ministers assembled in San Pedro Sula, Honduras, for the OAS's 39th General Assembly, passed a vote to lift Cuba's suspension from the OAS.
This was the first suspension carried out by the OAS since that of Cuba in 1962. After Zelaya's return to Honduras in 2011, the country was re-admitted to the Organization on 1 June 2011 with 32 votes in favor and 1 (Ecuador) against.
Raúl Roa on 4 November 1964: "Cuba was arbitrarily excluded ...
Members with later admission dates (sorted chronologically): (member since 1967) (1967) (1969) (1975) (1977) (1979) (1979) (1981) (1981) (1982) (1984) (1990) (1991) (1991) === Notes === === Canada and the OAS === Although Canada was a founding member of the League of Nations in 1919 and has joined international organizations since that date, it chose not to join the OAS when it was first formed, despite its close relations with the United States.
Canada became a Permanent Observer in the OAS on 2 February 1972.
Canada signed the Charter of the Organization of American States on 13 November 1989 and this decision was ratified on 8 January 1990. In 2004–2005, Canada was the second largest contributor to the OAS, with an annual assessed contribution representing 12.36 percent of the OAS Regular Budget (US$9.2 million) and an additional C$9 million in voluntary contributions to specific projects.
Since the 1990s, the organization has focused on election monitoring.
Canada signed the Charter of the Organization of American States on 13 November 1989 and this decision was ratified on 8 January 1990. In 2004–2005, Canada was the second largest contributor to the OAS, with an annual assessed contribution representing 12.36 percent of the OAS Regular Budget (US$9.2 million) and an additional C$9 million in voluntary contributions to specific projects.
The Organization of American States has no juridical, factual, or moral jurisdiction, nor competence, over a state which it has illegally deprived of its rights." The reincorporation of Cuba as an active member regularly arose as a topic within the inter-American system for instance, it was intimated by the outgoing ambassador of Mexico in 1998but most observers did not see it as a serious possibility while the present government remained in power.
What we have done here is fix a historic error." The suspension was lifted at the end of the General Assembly, but, to be readmitted to the Organization, Cuba will need to comply with all the treaties signed by the Member States, including the Inter-American Democratic Charter of 2001.
Its stated priorities now include the following: Strengthening democracy: Between 1962 and 2002, the Organization sent multinational observation missions to oversee free and fair elections in the member states on more than 100 occasions.
Canada signed the Charter of the Organization of American States on 13 November 1989 and this decision was ratified on 8 January 1990. In 2004–2005, Canada was the second largest contributor to the OAS, with an annual assessed contribution representing 12.36 percent of the OAS Regular Budget (US$9.2 million) and an additional C$9 million in voluntary contributions to specific projects.
Fidel Castro and his brother Raúl attacked the OAS as a "Yankee bordello" and "instrument of imperialist domination" and vowed that Cuba would never join, although OAS rescinded the nation's expulsion in 2009 and invited it to apply for readmission.
Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez promised to veto any final declaration of the 2009 Summit of the Americas due to Cuba's exclusion. On 17 April 2009, after a "trading of warm words" between the administrations of U.S.
President Barack Obama and Cuban leader Raúl Castro, OAS Secretary General José Miguel Insulza said he would ask the 2009 General Assembly to annul the 1962 resolution excluding Cuba. On 3 June 2009, foreign ministers assembled in San Pedro Sula, Honduras, for the OAS's 39th General Assembly, passed a vote to lift Cuba's suspension from the OAS.
A statement issued by the Cuban government on 8 June 2009 stated that while Cuba welcomed the Assembly's gesture, in light of the Organization's historical record "Cuba will not return to the OAS." === Suspension of Honduras (2009–2011) === Following the expulsion of its President Manuel Zelaya, Honduras' membership of the Organization was suspended unanimously at midnight on 5 July 2009.
This was the first suspension carried out by the OAS since that of Cuba in 1962. After Zelaya's return to Honduras in 2011, the country was re-admitted to the Organization on 1 June 2011 with 32 votes in favor and 1 (Ecuador) against.
In 2017 the US contributed $17 million to the fund for specific programmes which was almost a third of the total contributions for that year. == General Assembly == The General Assembly is the supreme decision-making body of OAS.
Venezuela expressed some reservations. === Status of Venezuela === On 28 April 2017 Venezuela notified the OAS of its denunciation of the Charter of the OAS, which as per Article 143 would lead to the withdrawal of Venezuela from the OAS effective two years from the date of notification.
In 2018 the General Secretariat's budget was $85 million of which the US contributed $50 million.
The Center for Economic and Policy Research (CEPR) concluded that "it is very likely that Morales won the required 10 percentage point margin to win in the first round of the election on October 20, 2019.".
During this period, the country did not plan on participating in the OAS. During the 2019 Venezuelan presidential crisis, the President of the National Assembly of Venezuela Juan Guaidó, who was recognized by the National Assembly as the acting president, sent a letter to the OAS Secretary General annulling the previous denunciation of the OAS Charter, and expressing his desire for Venezuela to remain a member of the OAS.
The OAS has received criticism for its role in delegitimizing Latin American governments hostile to the United States, both from members of Congress, activists and its own members. The OAS conducted a controversial audit of the 2019 Bolivian general election, which opposition supporters argued was fraudulent.
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