Apr 8/10 | Insulza on the defensive in World Economic Forum Latin America 2010 (Cartagena, Colombia)

Insulza: Manhandling the promotion of democracy in the region and being called on it

Below you will find link to the video of the session in which SG Insulza had to listen once more to harsh criticism. Harvard's Ricardo Hausman and Foreign Policy's Moises Naim corner the hapless Insulza who continues to use half truths to excuse his total blunders:

1. He stubbornly pretends to wash over his dogged instance that the General Assembly of the OAS should pass unconditional resolution allowing Cuba to re-join the OAS. He was defeated and has now opted to deceitfully adopt the final resolution as his own when in fact his alliance with the ALBA countries made consensus very hard.
2. He continues to lie about his role in Honduras. As has been well documented he was actually part of the problem that resulted in the ouster of President Zelaya and then fumbled time and time again in trying to resolve the crisis. Others had to come to guide the country towards the only viable solution.
3. He says he has reacted promptly to the jailing of dissidents in Venezuela. yet he fails to mention that he has done NOTHING related to Mr. Chavez's violation of the will of the electorate and the rights of the elected in the case of Caracas Mayor Antonio Ledezma and a number of other regional elected officials. He actually met with them and promised to issue a report (he had his legal team with him at the two meetings he held with Ledezma and affected governors) but has failed to deliver.

It is a tragedy that this man was reelected for a 5-year term, but it is gratifying to see - as we also saw in the CNN interview the night of his reelection - that he will be followed everywhere by his failings and his lies. Furthermore, with a new - and more principled - President in Chile and a new - more competent - Chilean Ambassador in the OAS he will have less places to hide and more disagreeable moments like these. PMB

Link to WEF Session on Governance in the Americas:

http://www.livestream.com/worldeconomicforum/video?clipId=pla_8da1f7a1-2af7-4e7a-a152-0bbba3ece0a6