Remarks by Ambassador Francisco O. Mora December 5, 2023 Chair, colleagues, and distinguished guests, As we gather today in the Hall of the Americas, we do so with a deep sense of responsibility and commitment to upholding the principles that have shaped our region’s collective journey towards justice, dignity, and freedom. Seventy-five years ago, in …

Remarks by Ambassador Francisco O. Mora December 4, 2023 Chair, following last week’s presentation by the IACHR, my delegation stated that any attempt to strip immunity from high level officials directly involved in the free and fair elections in Guatemala would open Pandora’s box. Chair, the Government of Guatemala has now opened that box, and …

Remarks by Ambassador Francisco O. Mora November 17, 2023 Mr. Chairman and colleagues, the United States welcomes the adoption of today’s OAS Permanent Council resolution concerning the security situation in Haiti.   This resolution represents a crucial step forward in addressing the pressing challenges Haiti faces, and reaffirms our collective commitment to supporting the people of …

Remarks by Ambassador Francisco O. Mora November 15, 2023 Mr. Chair, my delegation would like to express our gratitude to the delegations of Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, and Uruguay for their dedication and co-sponsorship of the OAS Permanent Council resolution presented for adoption today. This collective effort reaffirms a shared commitment to uphold …

Ambassador Francisco O. Mora Reviving Multilateral Diplomacy: Building Coalitions and Mobilizing our Hemisphere The Inter-American Dialogue Tuesday, October 24, 2023 Thank you so much, Rebecca, for that very generous introduction.  Good morning to all of you.  It’s good to see friends and colleagues here from the OAS.  Rebecca, I want to thank you, as always, …

Remarks by Ambassador Francisco O. Mora October 11, 2023 Thank you, Chair. Once again, OAS member states have spoken out strongly against the grave human rights abuses and destruction of democracy in Nicaragua.   Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega and his wife, Vice President Rosario Murillo, continue to intensify their attacks on democratic values, on democratic …

Remarks by Ambassador Francisco O. Mora October 10, 2023 Mr. Chairman, esteemed representatives and guests,  The United States welcomes the convening of this Special Meeting of the Permanent Council and expresses its deep appreciation to the Secretary General for providing us with another timely report on the OAS transition mission to Guatemala.  We also extend a …

Remarks by USOAS Political CounselorTom Lersten October 2, 2023 Thank you Chair, for your remarks on the passing of a true American pioneer and a dedicated public servant, Senator Dianne Feinstein. President Biden aptly described her as a trailblazer, and indeed, her legacy will be etched in our country’s history.  Senator Feinstein’s journey began in San Francisco, …

Remarks by Ambassador Francisco O. Mora Wednesday, September 20, 2023 Chair, and colleagues, as we know, our region’s common commitment to democracy is not confined within our borders, Chair. It extends across the hemisphere, manifested through the participation of OAS member states in various initiatives — such as the Community of Democracies, the Open Government …

Remarks by Ambassador Francisco O. Mora September 18, 2023 The United States welcomes the convening of this Special Meeting of the Permanent Council. We express our appreciation to the Secretary General for his timely report on the OAS good offices transition mission to Guatemala, as called for by this Council on September 1. Today’s session …

CP/DEC. 80 (2446/23) RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN GUATEMALA (Adopted by the Permanent Council at its special meeting, held on September 1, 2023) THE PERMANENT COUNCIL OF THE ORGANIZATION OF AMERICAN STATES, RECALLING that Article 1 of the Inter-American Democratic Charter declares that “[t]he peoples of the Americas have a right to democracy and their governments have …

Remarks by Ambassador Francisco O. Mora September 7, 2023 Madam Chair, esteemed guests, and colleagues, Today, we gather to celebrate a marvel of human engineering and ingenuity that has connected continents, facilitated global trade, and shaped the course of history—the Panama Canal. This remarkable waterway stands as a testament to human determination, innovation, and cooperation. …

Remarks by Ambassador Francisco O. Mora September 5, 2023 Madam Chair and colleagues, It is with a heavy heart that my delegation shares with this Council news of the passing of Bill Richardson last Friday in Massachusetts. Richardson served as governor of the State of New Mexico from 2003 to 2011, U.S. Ambassador to the …

Remarks by Ambassador Francisco O. Mora September 5, 2023 Mr. Chair and colleagues, Today, we reflect upon the legacy and impact of Salvador Allende, the former President of Chile.  As we mark the 50th anniversary of the tragic events of September 11, 1973, we recall Allende’s commitment to social equity and justice, and the consequences of the coup that reshaped Chilean history. It …

Remarks by Ambassador Francisco O. Mora September 1, 2023 Thank you very much Chair. The United States thanks the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights and the General Secretariat for updates on the situation in Guatemala.  We also thank Chile for requesting this meeting on behalf of Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Canada, Colombia, Costa Rica, and …

Remarks by Ambassador Francisco O. Mora Thank you very much.  It is a great honor to be here today, and I thank the Secretariat for Access to Rights and Equity for all its hard work pulling this event together.   Today we commemorate the words and actions of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., his calls for …

Remarks by Ambassador Francisco O. Mora OAS Permanent Council August 10, 2023 Thank you very much, Chair, first the United States wants to join you, the Secretary General, my colleagues in strongly condemning the assassination of Ecuadorian presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio, an outspoken critic and opponent of organized crime and corruption. We offer our condolences …

Remarks by Ambassador Francisco O. Mora U.S. Permanent Representative to the OAS July 26, 2023 On behalf of the Missions of the United States, Chile and Uruguay to the OAS, as well as the Art Museum of the Americas and the OAS Secretariat on Access to Rights and Equity, welcome! Today we come together to …

Remarks by Ambassador Francisco O. Mora Special Meeting of the OAS Permanent Council on “Implementation of all aspects of the Inter-American Democratic Charter and its challenges” May 30, 2023 Thank you very much, Mr. Chair, for convening this very useful and timely discussion to consider “implementation of all aspects of the Inter-American Democratic Charter and …

Remarks by Lynn Sicade Director, Office of Multilateral and Global Affairs Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor U.S. Department of State May 18, 2023 Thank you Chair for convening this special session of the CAJP Committee. I also want to recognize the leadership of Chile in coordinating the work of the GALEP group in …

Remarks by Ambassador Franciso O. Mora April 21, 2023 Secretary General Almagro, Assistant Secretary General Mendez, fellow ambassadors and delegates, observers, and members of the Secretariat – I want to thank you for joining this afternoon’s presentation and discussion. What an opportune way to conclude our commemoration of Pan American Week. Let me say that …

Remarks by Ambassador Francisco O. Mora April 19, 2023 Good afternoon Ambassadors and delegates, committee members, Leo Rowe Fund Staff. I am pleased to be here this afternoon to celebrate Dr. Leo Rowe’s continuing legacy and impact. Dr. Rowe devoted the greater part of his life to the noble goal of fostering accessible education for …

Remarks by Giovanni Snidle Alternate Representative of the United States OAS Permanent Council August 9, 2022 Thank you, Chair. I would like to begin by thanking the Assistant Secretary General and his staff for all their hard work bringing us together to recognize the central role of indigenous women in preserving and transmitting traditional knowledge. …

June 8, 2022 THE VICE PRESIDENT: Good evening. Good evening. Good evening. (Applause.) Well, I know our future is bright when I look at these young leaders. Governor Gavin Newsom, thank you for that introduction. It is, of course, so good to be back in my home state of California. (Applause.) And to everyone here, …

June 8, 2022 THE PRESIDENT: Good evening. Please be seated. Welcome to Los Angeles. (Applause.) And I probably should stop right here because I’ve followed some difficult acts in the past. AUDIENCE MEMBER: No fossil fuels! No! No fossil fuels! THE PRESIDENT: (Laughs.) (Applause.) I followed some difficult acts, but never before have I followed …

June 8, 2022 THE PRESIDENT: Good evening. Please be seated. Welcome to Los Angeles. (Applause.) And I probably should stop right here because I’ve followed some difficult acts in the past. AUDIENCE MEMBER: No fossil fuels! No! No fossil fuels! THE PRESIDENT: (Laughs.) (Applause.) I followed some difficult acts, but never before have I followed …

Remarks by Brian A. Nichols Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs 20th Anniversary of the Inter-American Democratic Charter September 17, 2021 Chair of the Permanent Council (and good friend) Ambassador Harold Forsyth, Secretary General Dr. Luis Almagro, Assistant Secretary Mendez, Distinguished Colleagues, Permanent Representatives, I would like to thank Peru for organizing this …

Remarks by Bradley A. Freden, U.S. Interim Permanent Representative September 1, 2021 Chair, Madame Vice President of the Republic of Costa Rica Epsy Campbell Barr, OAS Secretary General, IACHR Commissioner Macaulay. I would like to thank all of you for your important and informative presentations today.  Yesterday, the United States joined others around the world in commemorating the first International Day for People of African …

Remarks by Bradley A. Freden Interim Permanent Representative of the United States OAS Permanent Council August 11, 2021 Thank you, Chair. I would like to begin by thanking the Assistant Secretary General and his staff for all of their hard work pulling this week event together.  We know this it is never easy, especially as we continue to combat a …

Remarks by Bradley A. Freden Interim Permanent Representative of the United States OAS Permanent Council July 21, 2021 Good afternoon.  We would like to thank Colombia for requesting this special meeting and express our appreciation for the panelist presentations.   To follow up on the resolution concerning equitable distribution of COVID-19 vaccines, my delegation would like to provide a …

Remarks by Bradley A. Freden Interim Permanent Representative of the United States to the OAS OAS Permanent Council July 14, 2021 Thank you, Mr. Chair. I would like to take this opportunity to raise the situation in Cuba. Over the weekend, tens of thousands of Cubans took to the streets to exercise their rights to …

Remarks by Bradley A. Freden Deputy Permanent Representative of the United States September 16, 2020 Mr. Chairman, the equal opportunity of women in every facet of daily life is an essential feature of a free and prosperous society. With this in mind, I take the floor this afternoon to recall the centennial anniversary of the …

On December 16, 2019, the General Secretariat of the Organization of American States hosted a panel discussion and film screening of Women of the Venezuelan Chaos, a film by Margarita Cardenas in the Hall of the Americas. Women of the Venezuelan Chaos is a film about five Venezuelan women from diverse backgrounds who draw a …