Colombia announced it will bak Suriname’s candidate to lead the Organization of American States (OAS). In a joint statement, Colombia’s Foreign Ministry declared, “After carefully studying the proposals submitted at the OAS for the succession of the Secretary General, the governments of Brazil, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia and Uruguay have decided to back Suriname’s Minister of foreign relations, Albert Ramdin’s candidacy.”
Albert Ramdin, Suriname’s candidate, currently serves as the country’s Foreign minister. He previously served as Assistant Secretary General of the OAS from 2005 to 2015.
Colombia backs Suriname’s Ramdin candidacy to the OAS
In its statement, Colombia’s Foreign Ministry also added that the joint decision to back Ramdin “represents a significant step towards unity in the region in the current geopolitical context and a historic opportunity for the Caribbean region that could lead this hemispheric integration effort for the first time.” The vote to elect the new OAS secretary general will take place on March 10. The elected candidate would serve as General Secretary for five years between 2025 and 2030.
In order to be appointed as the OAS secretary general, Suriname’s Ramdin will have to beat Paraguayan Minister of Foreign Affairs Ruben Ramirez Lezcano who is also a candidate for the position.
Colombia’s statement further explains, “Minister Albert Ramdin, with his vast experience in diplomacy, including his past role as Assistant Secretary General of the OAS, is in a unique position to address the contemporary challenges facing our countries, bringing a fresh perspective that reflects the realities and aspirations of the Caribbean region and the Americas as a whole.”
The publication of the communiqué follows Colombia’s President Petro visit to Uruguay where he attended the inauguration of left-wing President Yamandu Orsi. There, he met with other important left-wing Latin American leaders including Bolivia’s Luis Arce, Brazil’s Lula da Silva and Chile’s Gabriel Boric, advocating for the strenghtening of political unity in the subcontinent.
China’s growing influence in Latin America
Ramdin’s appointment to this position would be significant, as he has been increasingly associated with China’s sphere of influence in the region. In fact, Chinese Foreign Affairs Minister Lin Ji visited Suriname last November, a move that experts view as a symbolic show of support for Ramdin’s candidacy.
In contrast, Ramirez is backed by the U.S. Secretary of State, Marco Rubio. A victory from Ramdin would potentially allow China to fully enter the U.S.’ most immediate sphere of influence, the Americas.
China’s ‘Belt and Road’ strategy is part of the country’s broader cooperation strategy, particularly through loans and infrastructure. It was first launched in 2013, but became a crucial soft power asset of China’s foreign policy from 2017.
Over the last decade, China has become Latin America’s most significant partner after the U.S., overtaking the Northern American superpower in many countries. The growing influence of China has been explicitly denounced by President Donald Trump, notably regarding issues like the Panama Canal.