OAS votes to revoke resolution on Cuba

 

Hillary Clinton returned home after the first day of the OAS General Assembly after a bizzare day, leaving aides behind to continue in representation of the USA.

Day one of the Assembly was not without controversy with Patricia Rodas, the Honduran Foreign Minister being replaced.

In the morning session Rodas attempted to shift the focus of the Assembly from the agreed topic of Non Violence to one of Cuba’s acceptance into the OAS. After an extended session, the Chilean Foreign Minister Mariano Fernández requested the meeting adjourn and the group continue the session in a working lunch, but Rodas ignored the motion stating, "Do not stop me, there is still no permission to get up, fellow foreign ministers".

Only after a motion by the Foreign Minister of Venezuela did she release the delegates to lunch. In the afternoon, she was replaced by the Foreign Minister of Venezuela and the topic returned to Non Violence.

The ALBA countries were vocal in their insistence that Cuba be immediately reentered into the OAS without condition. While Hillary Clinton argued that there is no consensus within the OAS and Cuba must adopt democratic standards before its return. Nicaraguan President and Sandinista Commadante Daniel Ortega, slammed the OAS as a tool of the American Empire which has been able to leverage leaders away from the vote.

Back in the USA, Democratic Senator, Robert Menendez stated that in the event the assembly votes for the inclusion of Cuba the US should cut all funding to the OAS sighting Human Rights concerns.

Cuba has not appeared interested in re-admittance to the OAS with the Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez stating at an ALBA conference, Cuba’s path was “one of Latin American and Caribbean integration, without a presence from outside the continent,”.

Today OAS members agreed to revoke the validity of resolution 1962 opening the way for Cuba's re-entry into the OAS.

It is unclear that Cuba will choose to enter the OAS. But it is clear that Castro's ALBA allies played a big role in pushing for the revocation.