On May 30th, OAS Secretary General Luis Almagro invoked the Inter-American Democratic Charter in the case of Venezuela, prompting the beginning of a debate at the OAS Permanent Council on the state of democracy in Venezuela, possibly leading to its suspension from the body.
Most citizens of the Americas have never heard of the Inter-American Democratic Charter, so maybe the best analogy, especially in Latin America, for Almagro’s actions is to refer to his actions as a political red card. The main difference now is that, unlike soccer referees, Almagro’s decision will be reviewed: will the Permanent Council uphold the red card or denounce the ref?
Cartoon credit: Rayma Suprani, available at CagleCartoons.com
