Honduras Readmitted to OAS?
During the first meeting of the Organization of American States (OAS) since the suspension of Honduras’ membership, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton formally urged the organization to reinstate Honduras as a full member. Because of the commitment to democratic government demonstrated by recently-elected President Porfirio Lobo, Clinton entered the OAS conference prepared to embrace the new government. Clinton grounded her claims on the free and fair elections witnessed by the international community and on the success of President Lobo in fulfilling his obligations outlined by the Tegucigalpa-San Jose Accord. Each of these claims is a point of contention within the region.
Three key concepts are crucial to understanding the tenuous relationships within this organization: (1) Honduras was unanimously ousted from the coalition last year due to its actions during and after a coup d’etat; (2) The United States has a standing strategic interest in supporting any and all democratic institutions in the region; and (3) Hugo Chavez continues to strengthen Venezuela’s ties with other rogue states—especially Iran—and is creating a growing security problem for the United States and the rest of our partners in the Western Hemisphere.
The coup that occurred in Honduras last year removed leftist President Zelaya from office. This drastic political act was the subject of much controversy and ultimately resulted in the severing of connections among President Lobo and several Latin American states, including Argentina, Brazil, Ecuador, and Nicaragua—all of which refuse to recognize the legitimacy of the new government. These nations have listed several conditions to be met by Lobo before they will reconsider recognition: President Zelaya must be granted free return to Honduras; the dismissal of judges opposed to the coup must be reversed; and a human rights investigation is to be conducted. Lobo has met none of these conditions.
The United States has several diplomatic goals to pursue during these talks. The United States is morally obligated to support the forces of liberty in the world. Regardless of the history of the nation at hand, we must extend political support to these nations who advance a democratic system of government. However, we must be cautious not to discredit the legitimate critiques of the way the coup was handled and the controversial actions taken to restore order in Honduras. Because we need support from all nations involved in OAS, Secretary Clinton must take precautions to acknowledge the grievances of other political leaders in the region and hold open the possibility for compromise. Knowing that the some in the organization have less-than-favorable opinions of Honduras, and considering past threats made by some in Latin America to create a new organization that excludes the United States, Secretary Clinton is presented with an extremely sensitive situation.
The United States is becoming increasingly concerned about developments in Venezuela. Hugo Chavez is already known to have strong financial ties with violent terror organizations throughout Latin America, including the Popular Revolution Army in Mexico and the FARC in Columbia. Additionally, the international political community has been witness to repeated instances of his compromising the integrity of Venezuelan democracy via political oppression and censorship. Secretary Clinton is particularly interested in tying the threat of Venezuela to the need to garner Western support for the Obama administration’s policy toward Iran.
The United States needs to walk a fine line during and after the negotiations take place. It needs to ensure that the concerns of the other members of the OAS are not falling on deaf ears because we cannot afford to be isolated, especially in times of such international political turmoil. These four key Latin American states will be unwilling to listen to U.S. concerns if we are unwilling to reciprocate. Additionally, the United States will need to ensure effective relations among these nations in order to garner enough support to keep pressing economic sanctions against an increasingly threatening Iran. Specifically, Brazil represents a key obstacle in pushing for support of Iranian sanctions due to its offer to participate in a uranium enrichment deal negotiated last month. Once again, Secretary Clinton will be forced to perform a balancing act between two separate regions, both to ensure the success of a fledgling democracy in a politically tumultuous Latin America and to enhance security on a global scale.
The Foreign Policy section of the Weekly Political Forecast is written by PAI’s Special Analyst for Foreign Affairs.
