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OAS Permanent Council Calls for Progress towards Liberator Simón Bolívar’s Democratic Ideals on the Date of His Birth

The Permanent Council of the Organization of American States (OAS) today called for progress towards the democratic ideals and the dreams of unity and freedom of Simón Bolívar upon commemorating the date of his birth during a protocolary session held at the headquarters of the hemispheric organization in Washington, DC.

The Chair of the Permanent Council and Representative of Guatemala to the OAS, Ambassador Jorge Skinner-Klee, recalled that Bolívar’s values are found in the Charter of the OAS and that the work of the Organization constantly reaffirms them. “The singular fight for freedom and the unity of nations led by the Liberator has been incorporated in our constitutive Charter as well as in the fundamental texts of inter-American law,” he said. “It is precisely that promise of offering the individual a land of freedom and a favorable environment for the development of his or her personality and the fulfillment of his or her just aspirations that the Liberator left to us as his heritage.”

On behalf of the Latin American Integration Association (ALADI), the Permanent Representative of Peru to the OAS, Ambassador Hugo de Zela, said he was convinced that “Bolívar’s longing is precisely the challenge that continues to exist today,” and that “his dream of creating a continent with democratic stability, with equality and freedom, of Latin American integration and continental solidarity has had until today only partial success.” That is why, he added, “it is us here, the men and women of our epoch, who are tasked with fulfilling the culmination of the Liberator’s dreams. And those of us who today are part of this Permanent Council should inevitably be actors in the realization of these ideals, recalling that Bolívar always had as a final objective the American integration that we are precisely trying to build here.”

The Permanent Representative of the United States, Ambassador Carmen Lomellin, asserted that “Simón Bolívar and his dreams have left a lasting impact in the region,” and that “the ideals and principles that he espoused are alive and well here at the OAS.” Also, she said that “the OAS is highly involved in much of the technical work which builds strong institutions and guarantees the protection of these fundamental rights. We must support and we must enhance these efforts, and the United States pledges to continue to support these efforts.”

On behalf of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), the Permanent Representative of Grenada to the OAS, Ambassador Gillian Bristol, recalled that “this Organization is founded on the very aspirations of Simón Bolívar to forge a league of countries united for the good of all their citizens, striving together to strengthen their influence throughout the world, and doing so proudly as independent sovereign nations.” Ambassador Bristol asserted that it is “this membership’s obligation to continue the pursuit of the purposes and principles of the Charter of the Organization,” which reflects the values and ideals of Bolívar. The CARICOM countries, she added, “will continue to partner with you our sister Member States in each of these endeavors.”

The Permanent Representative of El Salvador to the OAS, Ambassador Joaquín Maza, on behalf of the Central American Integration System (SICA), said the Liberator Simón Bolívar “with his actions marked the political identity of the continent.” To pay homage to him, Ambassador Maza continued, “means to continue to write history on the paragraph in which he left it, with his same banner and as a reflection of the historic dynamic of the desire for integration in the Americas.”

The Alternate Representative of Canada to the OAS, Darren Rogers, said Bolívar was “one of the great nation builders in world history,” and that the OAS “continues to promote freedom and equality and democracy, ideas and realities that Bolívar himself championed.” Rogers recalled that the prominent statues of Bolívar in Canada, gifts of friendship from different countries, are “symbols confirming the present day and historical ties to Latin America of many thousands of Canadians.”

This morning, the mission from Venezuela, headed by its Permanent Representative, Ambassador Roy Chaderton, placed a floral offering at the feet of the monument to Simón Bolívar in Washington, DC, located near the headquarters of the OAS. Present at the ceremony were the Chair of the Permanent Council and Representative of Guatemala, Ambassador Jorge Skinner-Klee, the Organization’s Secretary for External Relations, Ambassador Alfonso Quiñónez, and the Permanent Representatives of Colombia, Ecuador, El Salvador, and Dominican Republic.

A gallery of photos of the event is available here.

For more information, please visit the OAS Website at www.oas.org.

Reference: E-774/11