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OAS Permanent Council Calls for the Realization of Bolivar’s Vision on Day of his Birth

The Permanent Council of the Organization of American States (OAS) paid homage to the memory of the Liberator Simon Bolivar on the day of his birth, and called for renewed efforts to make his vision of unity and liberty in the Americas a reality.

The Chair of the Permanent Council and Representative of Jamaica to the OAS, Ambassador Stehpen Vasciannie, said the OAS represents “a model of Bolívar’s idealized union of Latin American and Caribbean states.” “As we celebrate his birthday, we should look around at where we are today,” added the Jamaican diplomat, “at a point in history where nearly all the countries of the hemisphere are free democracies.” The ideals of Bolivar remain a guide, he emphasized, in the continuing efforts to make the Americas a region “of liberty, democracy, development, peace and prosperity.”

The Interim Representative of Argentina to the OAS, Martín Gómez Bustillo, highlighted that “the colossus of the Americas” suffered and was able to overcome many obstacles in both his personal and public life, and because of his determination, he was “the man of constant struggle.” The Argentinian diplomat made a brief presentation of the life of the liberator, and recalled that the concepts of “independence” and “integration” were, for Bolivar, inseparable. He called on the Member States to look for “the common objective: the well-being of our peoples, just like the liberator did.”

Representing the Latin American Integration Association (ALADI), the Interim Representative of Brazil, Breno Dias da Costa, said “the actions of Bolivar are still felt throughout the hemisphere.” The liberator not only sought “a more just society;” he also showed the willingness to “translate those ideas into actions.” The Brazilian representative highlighted that Bolivar’s dream of the integration of the Americas continues to be “the guiding star for the region.”

For her part, the Alternate Representative of Canada, Julia Clark, called Bolivar “truly one of the great nation builders in world history.” The Canadian representative recalled that the very room in which the Council meets carries Bolivar’s name, and mentioned that her country also honors him with statues in its capital Ottawa.

In the name of the Central American Integration System (SICA), the Permanent Representative of Nicaragua to the OAS, Ambassador Denis Moncada, said Bolivar was “the driver of the great epic of emancipation in our America and precursor of the process of unity and integration of our countries." The members of SICA joined in the commemoration of the date "sure that the process of unity and integration of the peoples of Latin America and the Caribbean will be gradually strengthened, inspired by the legacy of the Liberator."

The Permanent Representative of the United States, Ambassador Carmen Lomellin, said Bolivar “serves as an inspiration for all the countries of the western hemisphere,” and urged the organization to take advantage of the occasion to “renew our commitment to a proud, just, united and democratic hemisphere.”

On behalf of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), the Permanent Representative of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Ambassador La Celia Prince, emphasized that Bolivar “hated oppression, falsehood, and barbarism.” Ambassador Prince called for the injection of new meaning into his life because, if he were alive today, the Liberator “would not have stood aside while modern day new oppressors like purveyors of illegal drugs, human traffickers, violators of human rights, perpetrators of organized crime in all its forms, violators of peace and security and most importantly, perpetrators of poverty and inequity continue to take their toll on the peoples of the hemisphere.”

The Permanent Representative of Panama to the OAS, Ambassador Guillermo Cochez, said that one of the central plazas in his country is dedicated to the Liberator, who should continue “to be our example.” Bolivar was “ahead of his time,” he continued, for his demand that legislators be moral and for his fight against slavery.

Ambassador Robert Saladin, Permanent Representative of the Dominican Republic, recalled that, despite Bolivar’s military achievements, “it wasn’t his sword, but his ideas, that had the greatest impact on the heritage” of the Americas. He emphasized “the continued relevance of the Liberator’s ideas,” and highlighted the role of his country in the history of integration in the hemisphere.

For his part, the Permanent Representative of Bolivia to the OAS, Ambassador Diego Pary, recognized the contribution Bolivar made to the rights of the indigenous peoples of Bolivia, a country that bears his name. His dream was to build the Americas into “one great nation,” and that dream, said the ambassador, “strengthens and becomes more alive every day.”

José Luis Ramírez, the Alternate Representative of Colombia, said the Liberator “continues to be a living figure that will always be with us.”

Prior to the formal session, which took place in the hall of the headquarters named after the Liberator; the Permanent Representatives of the Member States attended a ceremony that presented a floral offering to the monument of Simon Bolívar, located next to the main building of the OAS in Washington, DC.

A gallery of photos of the event wil be available here.

The video of the event is available here.

The video of the presentation of the floral offering is available here.

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

Reference: E-267/12