The president of Paraguay, Santiago Penamade the Infobae advance official, regarding the chancellor’s nomination Ruben Ramirez to the General Secretariat of the Organization of American States (OAS), replacing Luis Almagro.
In his speech at the opening ceremony of the general AssemblyPeña announced the nomination of the current head of Paraguayan diplomacy “as an unmistakable sign of commitment” of his country with the multilateral system and with the OAS.
Peña highlighted that Ramírez, who is running for the 2025-2030 period, has “an extensive and extensive career in the international arena,” but also described him as “a noble, generous, prudent, sensible, tolerant person” and “with a big heart.”
“Rubén knows and loves the OAS. I don’t think there is anyone better for such a difficult task.” added the president, who assured that, if elected, the head of Foreign Affairs will know how to lead the organization “so that it is a true main actor in the concert of nations.”
Ramírez was once again chancellor in the Peña Government, who took office on August 15, 2023, after having served as Minister of Foreign Affairs between 2006 and 2008 during the term of the then president Nicanor Duarte.
Born on January 11, 1966 in the department of Alto Paraguay (north), Ramírez is an economist at the Buenos Aires’ University and has a master’s degree in International Politics from the Sorbonne University of Paris.
Additionally, he studied Business Administration at the University of California (USA).
He was appointed in 2008 as director in Panama of the Development Bank of Latin America (CAF) and then in Argentina.
In 2016 the Government of the former president Horacio Cartes (2013-2018) proposed his candidacy for the Executive Presidency of that organization, but lost the election.
The current Paraguayan foreign minister was chargé d’affaires in Quito, consul in California, vice minister of Economic Relations and Integration, and alternate representative of Paraguay before the United Nations and UNESCO, among other positions.
Almagro was elected Secretary General of the OAS on March 18, 2015, with the support of 33 of the 34 member states. In March 2020, the former Uruguayan foreign minister was re-elected to complete a term that ends in 2025.
The Organization of American States (OAS) held its 54th General Assembly in Paraguay this Wednesday with attention focused on Bolivia, after the attempted coup against the president’s government Luis Arce.
“Coups d’état, which have meant torture, forced disappearances, executions and murders, must never again take place in the Americas. We must be able to give our democracies the best institutions, the best solutions to the people. There is no place for this“said the current secretary general, Luis Almagro, in his speech.
A group of heavily armed soldiers, led by the already dismissed commander general of the Bolivian Army Juan José Zuñigalaunched a tank against the door of the Executive headquarters in La Paz on Wednesday afternoon.
After hours stationed, the insubordinate military retreated after the Bolivian president, Luis Arce, changed the country’s entire military high command.
“This organization (the OAS) that has contributed to peace, has to continue contributing to peace“added Almagro, who will lead his last General Assembly after 10 years as head of the General Secretariat.
The other host of the event, the president of Paraguay, Santiago Peña, also referred to the failed coup d’état in Bolivia and called it “intolerable and unacceptable”.
“We strongly condemn any attempt to subvert sacred democracy and we support the legitimate government of comrade Luis Arce.”, noted Peña.
More than twenty foreign ministers from the region are expected in Paraguay to participate in the plenary sessions that will begin this Thursday and in which the political and human rights situation in the country will also be addressed. Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuelaas well as integration and security for the sustainable development of the region.
(With information from EFE)
