INSTITUTIONALIZING THE PAN AMERICAN IDEAL

The Pan American Ideal: Overview Connected with proposals that led to First International Conference of the American States ( )  Tensions between universalism and multilateralism persisted from the beginning  United Nations Charter (Article 51) drafted to accommodate Pan American ideal  Pan American Ideal virtually disappeared in 1960’s

Institutional Development: World War II  Commercial Bureau of American Republics grew out of First International Conference of the American States  Fourth Conference (1910) –Named system – Union of American Republics –Bureau becomes Pan American Unions  Broader responsibilities  U.S. Secretary of State chair Governing Board

Placing the system on a permanent institutional basis  Special Inter-American Conference on Problems of War and Peace –Mexico City (1945)  Act of Chapultapec (sanctions to be used against agresor) –Authorized drafting of three basic integrated documents  Treaty of reciprocal assistance  Constitution for a regional organization  Treaty to coordinate agreements on pacific settlements

1947 – Special Inter- American Conference for the Maintenance of Continental Peace and Security  Rio Treaty adopted (Inter-American Treaty of Reciprocal Assistance)  Created a mutual security regime that became model for NATO  Never had operational military forces

Ninth International Conference of American States  Approved Charter of Organization of American States (Treaty of Bogota)  Went into effect in 1951, although provisions adhered to almost immediately  When OAS Charter was adopted the Union of American States became the Organization of American States (OAS)

Inter American Treaty on Pacific Settlement  Also adopted at the Ninth International Conference  Intended to order the disparate extant procedures for the peaceful resolutions of inter-American disputes  United States never ratified this treaty

MEMBERSHIP IN THE OAS  all independent Latin American States  Castro’s Cuba suspended in 1962  Boundary disputes kept some former British colonies out for some years

OAS STRUCTURE  Council of the OAS –One permanent member from each state –Act provisionally when there is a threat to peace –Oversees IA-ESOSOC –Inter-American Council of Jurists –Inter-American Cultural Council  Specialized Conferences (much autonomy) –Twelve organs deal with technical matters –Inter-American Commission on Human Rights

Protocol of Buenos Aires (1967)  Created the General Assembly as the new supreme organ of the OAS –Meets annually –Approves budget –Elects Secretary General  Abolished Inter-American Conference  Permanent Council located in Washington, D.C.

Protocol of Managua  Approved by General Assembly of the OAS  Provisions: –Eliminated Inter-American Economic & Social Council & –Eliminated Inter-American Council on Education, Science & Culture –Created Inter-American Council for Inter- regional Development (CIDI)

Major Contemporary Concerns of the OAS  Peace and Security merged during the Cold War  Democracy and human rights  Economic and Cultural cooperation  Drug traffic  Environmental protection

Democratic Charter: Adopted 2001 –** Twenty-Eight Articles -** A multilateral tool with the central aim of strengthening and upholding democratic institutions in the nations of the Americas -** The Charter, which is binding on all 34 of the currently active OAS member states, spells out what democracy entails and specifies how it should be defended when it is under threat

Peruvian Assault on Democracy a Catalyst  President Fujimori seeks to prolong his authoritarian government  Peru forced to accept democratic renewal Promote and defend democracy New president became advocate for set of rules for democracy in OAS

Democratic Charter as Reflection of U.S. Strategic Interests –Washington views liberal democratic regimes as conducive to maintenance of stability in the region –Carta Democrática creates consensus on acceptance of democratic culture –If democratic culture is violated – likelihood of rapid, decisive, multilateral response against uprisings –Democratic elites in OAS states support each other

Democratic Charter allows U.S. to appear as less “IMPERIALISTIC”  Washington Committed to multilateral action  U.S. military burden reduced  Leftward drift of government of President Hugo Chavez divides U.S. and Latin American

April 2002 coup United States “Involved?” in Political Crisis in Venezuela

Policy Consensus behind the Charter Unravels  A game changer in Venezuela?  OAS called in after coup when opposition came to view Carter Center as inclining toward the government  Chavez government becomes hostile to OAS

Opposition to Democratic Charter  Democratic Charter: Trojan Horse?

OAS and the Venezuelan Crisis  Caesar Gaviria: Secretary General of OAS –Personally oversaw the monitoring of efforts to recall President Chavez –Former president of Colombia –Came from kind of political establishment that President Chavez distrusts

OAS and the Venezuelan Crisis  Group of “Friends of Venezuela” formed in Quito as check on the OAS and Carter Center –Spain & Portugal –Mexico, Chile & Brazil –United States  OAS (and Carter Center) certified Chavez victory in the referendum of August 15, 2004)  UN played a minor role

Experience with the Democratic Charter Leads Latin American States to Explore Multilateralism without the United States