A Question For The OAS

Have any of you guys read the Charter of the Organization of American States?

The reason I ask is that, being a glutton for punishment, I read it and saw:

Article 13

The political existence of the State is independent of recognition by other States. Even before being recognized, the State has the right to defend its integrity and independence, to provide for its preservation and prosperity, and consequently to organize itself as it sees fit, to legislate concerning its interests, to administer its services, and to determine the jurisdiction and competence of its courts. The exercise of these rights is limited only by the exercise of the rights of other States in accordance with international law.

This seems to be saying that a country gets to pass its own constitution, and have that constitution interpreted by its own courts, as long as it does not mess with other countries.

Further I read:

Article 19

No State or group of States has the right to intervene, directly or indirectly, for any reason whatever, in the internal or external affairs of any other State. The foregoing principle prohibits not only armed force but also any other form of interference or attempted threat against the personality of the State or against its political, economic, and cultural elements.

Your Secretary General personally met with the supreme court of Honduras and was told that what happened to former president Zelaya was constitutional. The court gave him the paperwork on the charges against Zelaya. What gave you the right to suspend Honduras over Zelaya ouster in violation of your own charter?

There are a lot of lawyers living in DC, and a number of them speak, read, and write Spanish, so why don’t you check the phone book and have one of them look at the law in this case. I only say that because you obviously don’t have any lawyers in your organization or it wouldn’t have gotten this stupid.

Maybe you could coordinate with the US State Department and get a group rate.