The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Suriname and now also the Secretary General of the Organization of American States, Albert Ramdin. In the photo, Ramdin at the OAS when he was Assistant Secretary General in 2015. Juan Manuel Herrera/OAS.
Guacamaya, March 10, 2025. Albert Ramdin was elected on Monday as the Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS).
The Surinamese foreign minister aims to present himself as a conciliatory figure in a polarized and divided continent.
Ramdin’s candidacy managed to prevail, initially backed by countries such as Brazil, Bolivia, Chile, Canada, Guatemala, Mexico, Colombia, Uruguay, Costa Rica, Ecuador, and the Dominican Republic. To assume the position for the next five years, he needed to secure at least 18 votes from the 34 member states of the bloc, following the recent departure of Nicaragua.
“This support reflects a commitment to regional unity, the strengthening of multilateralism, and the consolidation of democratic institutions in the Americas,” stated a declaration of support for Ramdin signed by these countries.
El Salvador, which initially supported Paraguayan Foreign Minister Rubén Ramírez Lezcano, shifted its support to Suriname’s candidacy, a move Ramdin acknowledged on social media. As the election approached, more countries expressed their backing for his candidacy.
Thus, on Monday, during an extraordinary assembly in Washington, DC, the 34 voting member countries of the OAS unanimously designated the 67-year-old Surinamese diplomat, Albert Ramdin, as their next Secretary General.
His uncontested election was solidified after the withdrawal of Paraguayan candidate Ramírez Lezcano, who conceded in the face of overwhelming support for Ramdin. The Caribbean bloc (Caricom), composed of 14 OAS members, unanimously endorsed his candidacy, securing him more than 20 votes, well above the 18 required.
Ramdin’s Proposal Before the Challenge
Ramdin’s core proposal includes the creation of “crisis and early response teams” to promote dialogue and consensus. In his view, this approach seeks to move away from the “inaction” that has characterized the OAS on previous occasions, as he has stated in several declarations.
Ramdin will assume office in a complex scenario. On one hand, he inherits pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump, who, since his return to the White House, has proposed budget cuts for international organizations. The United States, the main financier of the OAS, has already withdrawn support from entities like the World Health Organization (WHO), a precedent that generates uncertainty.
Additionally, he will face urgent regional crises: the instability in Haiti, engulfed in a wave of criminal violence; the distancing of Nicaragua, which left the OAS in 2023; and the historical absence of Venezuela and Cuba, both estranged from the organization. His administration will need to balance geopolitical pressures and the pursuit of consensus and dialogue in an increasingly fragmented region.
What Does This Mean for Venezuela?
The Paraguayan candidacy received public support from Venezuelan opposition leaders such as Julio Borges. On January 6, Venezuela severed ties with Paraguay after President Santiago Peña held a video conference meeting with Venezuelan opposition figure Edmundo González.
On the other hand, Ramdin’s candidacy has been marked by a conciliatory approach, which could lead to a more negotiatory stance toward Venezuela. It is also expected that his position will be closer to key allies of Caracas, such as China.
Venezuela announced its withdrawal from the OAS in 2017, formalizing it in 2019. However, the opposition maintained representation through the “interim government” of Juan Guaidó.
The current OAS Secretary General, Luis Almagro, will end his term on May 25. His tenure has been known for aligning with Washington, DC, which has drawn criticism and scrutiny from several countries.
Almagro championed confrontation against Daniel Ortega and Nicolás Maduro in the region, while supporting Guyana against Venezuela in the territorial dispute over the Essequibo.
