Luis Almagro, Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS), denounced before the Permanent Council of the organization, the closure and illegal occupation of its offices in Managua and the expulsion of its officials from the Central American country. He pointed out that this situation “had never occurred even in times of the worst dictatorships in the region.” the secretary of
In a letter sent to Elizabeth Darius-Clarke, president of the Permanent Council, the OAS secretariat explained the “situation of the OAS national office in Nicaragua,” which currently remains in police custody.
On April 24, the regime of Daniel Ortega withdrew the credentials of its representatives before the OASOrlando Tardencilla, Iván Lara and Michael Campbell, and announced the closure of the organization’s office in Managua, calling it an “instrument of Yankee imperialism.”
Related news: Police surround OAS office in Managua after Ortega leaves the organization early
Following the decision of the Nicaraguan administration, Ortega Police officers “occupied the OAS headquarters, seizing its files, as well as all the existing material. Officials of the General Secretariat can run serious risks,” Almagro denounced.
“This had never happened, not even in times of the worst dictatorships in the region, including those that Nicaragua had experienced. We are facing the violation of the most elementary rules that regulate relations between States and international organizations, opening a precedent that the region had not known until now, “he added.
Given this context, the OAS Secretary General detailed the articles of the Inter-American Charter that Daniel Ortega’s regime is violating with his “early departure” from the regional organization.
Article 133 of the OAS Charter establishes that “the Organization of American States shall enjoy in the territory of each one of its members the legal capacity, privileges, and immunities that are necessary for the exercise of its functions and the performance of its duties.” their purposes” (…). Nicaragua is bound by this rule », he stressed.
He pointed out that Nicaragua is also obliged to comply with the “Agreement on Privileges and Immunities” which provides that “the premises of the Organization and its organs are inviolable,” including its files and documents.
Luis Almagro reminded the Government of Daniel Ortega that in 1989, the chancellor of that year, Miguel d’Escoto, signed the “Agreement on Privileges and Immunities” of the organization. Said agreement details that “the government recognizes the Office of the General Secretariat against all types of procedures, searches, searches, confiscations or any other measure, without the consent of the authorities of the General Secretariat.”
The official stressed that the closure of the OAS headquarters in Nicaragua is “a flagrant violation of all the norms” of the organization, to which the Ortega administration is subscribed.
“It is above all a flagrant violation of international law, which is the standard of conduct of the American States and whose international order is essentially constituted by respect… and by the faithful fulfillment of the obligations arising from contracts and other sources of law. international,” he said.
“The action carried out by the Nicaraguan government is absolutely despicable in legal, political and ethical terms, it constitutes an act of violence and violates international regulations. In that sense we condemn and repudiate it. The Permanent Council is informed for further action by the Organization and its Member States », he continued.
Exit of Nicaragua from the OAS will take place until 2023
The Secretariat of the regional organization maintained that although the Nicaraguan regime decided to withdraw from the OAS, its departure will be effective until November 19, 2023.
He pointed out that the Ortega administration must comply with the obligations of the Charter, while two years have elapsed from the date on which the General Secretariat received notification of the complaint and then it will be cut off from the OAS.
«There is no possibility of terminating its membership of the OAS before that date. Until then, Nicaragua will be subject to all the obligations that emanate from the Charter and from the agreements that it has concluded within its framework,” Almagro stressed.
