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OAS Celebrates the Work of Simón Bolívar on the Anniversary of his Birth

During a protocolary session of the Permanent Council of the Organization of American States (OAS), representatives today paid homage to the memory of Liberator Simón Bolívar on the 227th anniversary of his birth.

The Permanent Representative of El Salvador, Ambassador Joaquín Maza, who presided over the session, stated that “our homage to the great inspiration of Inter-Americanism allows us to express all the commonalities between our people: our principles and values.” He also highlighted Bolívar’s lifelong commitment to the liberty of his country and of America. “His life was a tenacious battle for the liberty of all our people, and for that reason the Bolivarian Dream is still the guide we use today toward our renewed compromise to continue making the Americas a hemisphere of liberty, democracy, development, peace, and prosperity.”

In turn, the Permanent Representative of Colombia, Ambassador Luis Alfonso Hoyos, representing the Latin American Integration Association (ALADI), stated that Bolívar not only “forged the liberty of the people of the Americas, but also the identity of our nations.” He likewise asserted that “today we honor the democracy, peace, and integrity that Bolívar put forward and that cement the bases of Pan-Americanism and of this, the Organization of American States.” He referred to the Jamaica Letter of 1815 “that clarifies his thought with a series of reflections that transformed into the seeds of the continental union in which we continue working and advancing.”

The Permanent Representative of Jamaica, Ambassador Audrey Patrice Marks, speaking on behalf of the delegates from the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), stressed that the Latin American hero based his work on “liberty, equality, and fraternity, which embodied the concepts of independence and freedom and were translated into a call for solidarity among peoples and governments, democracy, international social justice, and world peace. These are principles to which we still aspire today.”

In turn, the Permanent Representative of the United States, Ambassador Carmen Lomellin, stressed that Bolívar “has left a lasting impact on our region,” and quoted Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, saying that “the fundamental basis of our political system hinges directly and exclusively upon the establishment and practice of equality.” Lomellin further recognized that “although much has been gained, much remains to be done to realize our shared goals of equality and democracy.”

Finally, the Permanent Representative of Costa Rica, José Enrique Castillo Barrantes, who spoke on behalf of the countries from the Central American Integration System (SICA), evoked Bolívar in referring to his “hemispheric vision and ambition” and recognized him as “the great founder of Pan-American multilateralism, who endured incredible sacrifices and efforts in order to follow through with the mission he began to liberate Venezuela, and which surpassed that goal in decisively contributing to the liberation of other countries.”

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.

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

Reference: E-275/10