The closing of the 56th OAS General Assembly in Panama could not have been more chaotic, following disagreements among delegations and a lack of details regarding the final declaration and several of the adopted resolutions.
Disagreements escalated during the final sessions between representatives of various countries, including Argentina and the United Kingdom, as well as China and Panama, while dozens of documents remained pending an assessment of their potential real impact on the nations involved.
The United States made its list of priorities for the region clear, focusing on hemispheric security and combating transnational crime. However, one of the issues that reignited old disputes was the conflict between Argentina and the United Kingdom over the sovereignty of the Falkland Islands.
Argentine representative Juan Manuel Navarro asserted that the right to self-determination does not apply to the archipelago, arguing that the resident population was “transplanted by a colonial power.” He also noted that no United Nations declaration supports the British position on the disputed territory.
Behind the controversy also lie economic interests linked to the Sea Lion oil field, located near the islands, where significant hydrocarbon reserves have been discovered. According to reports released during the meeting, British and Israeli companies plan to extract up to 55,000 barrels per day starting in 2028.
Meanwhile, Colombian Foreign Minister Rosa Villavicencio, representing the government of Gustavo Petro, denounced what she described as attempts by colonial powers to “send us back into darkness.”
The statements echoed recent accusations by the Colombian president regarding alleged foreign interference in the country’s electoral process, in which the far-right candidate Abelardo de la Espriella emerged victorious.
“It’s no secret how these forces have begun indiscriminate attacks directed not only at multilateralism, but also at the free political action of our peoples,” the diplomat stated.
She added that “these shadows have reappeared” and questioned the interference of foreign powers in the internal affairs of Latin American nations. Another point of tension arose between Panama and China concerning the ports of Balboa and Cristóbal.
What began as a controversy related to the ruling by the Panamanian Supreme Court that declared the contract between the State and Panama Ports Company (PPC), a subsidiary of the Hong Kong conglomerate CK Hutchison, unconstitutional, escalated into a new episode of diplomatic friction between the two countries.
In just a few days, several events unfolded that marked the escalation of the dispute: the revelation that the Chinese Embassy had requested to intervene in the constitutional process related to the CPP, Beijing’s response during the OAS General Assembly, and subsequently, a statement from the Supreme Court asserting its independence in the face of criticism from the Asian giant.
During the hemispheric meeting, the Chinese ambassador to the United States, Xie Feng, called the statements made by Panamanian authorities “unfounded” and defended both the actions of Chinese companies abroad and the inspections carried out on Panamanian-flagged vessels.
According to the diplomat, his country’s companies respect local laws and contribute to the economic development of the nations where they invest. He also rejected accusations of alleged political influence by Beijing on the operation of Panamanian ports.
Furthermore, the criticisms made during the General Assembly regarding the political situations in Cuba, Venezuela, and Nicaragua received a swift response from Havana.
Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez criticized the OAS for omitting any references to US policy toward the island and denounced an escalation of coercive measures that are severely affecting the Caribbean nation.
In a message posted on social media, the Cuban foreign minister called it “scandalous” that the hemispheric organization expresses concern about the internal situation in Cuba without mentioning the economic, political and energy actions that Washington is applying against the country.
Bruno Rodríguez maintained that these measures seek to “strangle” the national economy and deteriorate the living conditions of the population, and therefore urged the OAS to speak out against what he described as a “ruthless and unjustified” policy.
He added that the regional body should act to end what he considered a “collective punishment” against the Cuban people, which—he asserted—violates international law and human rights.
“The Secretary General of the OAS should not be complicit in such an outrage,” he concluded.
[ SOURCE: PRENSA LATINA ]
