08:53 | Lima, Dec. 19 (ANDINA).
Peru's Permanent Representative to the Organization of American States (OAS), Juan Jimenez Mayor, has assumed as Chair of the OAS Permanent Council to complete the term begun by his predecessor, Peruvian ambassador Walter Alban, who was named interior minister by President Ollanta Humala.
In his address to the Council, Ambassador Jimenez said the main strength of the Organization lies in the fact that it is “the only forum for the political discussion of the issues on the hemispheric agenda.”
"It represents a privileged atmosphere for the treatment of issues that affect our nations in terms of what they most demand: social inclusion, economic opportunities, democracy and political participation and to be at the center of security concerns,” Jimenez was quoted as saying on the OAS website.
In particular the Chair of the Permanent Council reaffirmed his “absolute commitment to the defense and protection of human rights, as well as the full backing for the strengthening of the Inter-American System of Human Rights.”
During the meeting, the representatives of Mexico, Haiti, Panama, the United States, Costa Rica, Uruguay, Canada, Jamaica, Bolivia, Peru, Argentina, Trinidad and Tobago, Antigua and Barbuda, Venezuela, Chile, El Salvador, Brazil, Belize and Nicaragua took the floor.
Several Permanent Representatives and the OAS Secretary General Jose Miguel Insulza congratulated the people of Chile on the successful completion of the second round of presidential elections on Sunday, December 15, and wished “the greatest success” to President-elect Michelle Bachelet, whom he personally greeted following her victory.
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Published: 12/19/2013