Secretary General
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Candidates
Member states were required to present their candidacies in writing by 3 February. [a] Two candidates were nominated:
- Albert Ramdin of Suriname, the serving foreign minister and previously the OAS's assistant secretary general from 2005 to 2015. [7]
- Rubén Ramírez of Paraguay, the serving foreign minister, who previously represented his country at CAF, ALADI and UNESCO. [7]
A special meeting of the OAS Permanent Council was held on 10 February at which the candidates presented their proposals and initiatives for leading the organization. A similar meeting of the candidates with representatives of civil society was held on 11 February. [8] [9] [4]
On 5 March, President Santiago Peña of Paraguay announced that his government was withdrawing Ramírez's nomination on account of weakened support. [10]
Endorsements
The 46th regular meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), held in Georgetown, Guyana, in February 2024, endorsed Ramdin's candidacy. [11] The CARICOM bloc accounts for 14 votes in the OAS. [12] As the election date approached, around ten other countries announced their intention to vote for Ramdin. [10] [13]
Ramírez was described as being close to the Trump administration in the United States. [14]
Election
The election was held at a special session of the OAS General Assembly on 10 March 2025. [6] [14] As the sole candidate, Ramdin was elected by acclamation. [15] [16]
