July 19, 2024
Over the past two months, the Voluntary Group for the Follow-up to the Inter-American Democratic Charter (IADC) organized two notable events focused on strengthening democracy and combating dis/misinformation in the Americas. These events brought together high-level officials, experts, and representatives from OAS member states to discuss and promote the IADC through cooperation, sharing of best practices, and suggestions to guide ongoing collaboration.
On May 30, 2024, the United States Institute of Peace (USIP) in Washington, D.C., in collaboration with the Group of Friends of the IADC/the Carter Center and the Voluntary Group, convened a symposium under the theme “Maximizing the impact of existing instruments for enhancing democratic promotion and strengthening: joint discussion on shared goals and challenges, exploration of opportunities for mutual support.” The event aimed to address shared goals and challenges while exploring opportunities for mutual support in promoting democracy.
The public session began with welcoming remarks by the Vice President, Latin America Program, USIP, Keith Mines, followed by framing remarks from the Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of Paraguay, Víctor Verdún, who set the stage for discussions and suggestions for action in the context of the 54th OAS General Assembly, held June 26-28 in Asuncion. Key speakers included:
• the Senior Advisor for Latin America and Caribbean at the Carter Center, Jennie Lincoln,who introduced the Group of Friends of the Inter-American Democratic Charter.
• the Professor and Chair of Constitutional Law at “Andrés Bello” Catholic University and former President of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, Carlos Ayala (of Venezuela), who discussed democracy and human rights.
• the former Vice President of Guatemala, Eduardo Stein (of Guatemala), who emphasized democracy, integral development, and combating poverty.
• the Secretary General of the Community of Democracies, Thomas Garrett, who focused on the promotion of democratic culture, to include education for democracy and youth engagement.
• the Director of the UNESCO Chair on Freedom of Expression at the Universidad de Los Andes and co-chair of the Oversight Board of Facebook and Instagram, Catalina Botero (of Colombia), who discussed the strengthening and preservation of democratic culture, including through accountability measures.
The session concluded with closing remarks by the Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS), Luis Almagro, highlighting the importance of collaborative efforts in upholding democratic principles.
Following the closing remarks, the symposium transitioned to a private session, during which members of the Voluntary Group engaged in a closed-door working session. Presentations by Professor Max Cameron of the University of British Columbia and Professor Michael Coppedge of the University of Notre Dame provided insights into the current challenges to democracy and the use of V-Dem data for monitoring and strengthening democratic governance in the Americas.
On June 27, 2024, during the 54th OAS General Assembly in Asunción, Paraguay, the Voluntary Group organized a side event titled “Strengthening Democracy: Dialogue on Promoting Integrity of Information and Upholding the Inter-American Democratic Charter.” Held at the Bourbon Hotel, the event aimed to address the integrity of information and combat disinformation.
U.S. Deputy Secretary of State for Management & Resources, Richard R. Verma, opened the event, representing the United States delegation. This was followed by welcoming remarks from the Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of Paraguay.
The Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, Pedro Vaca, delivered a presentation on the Inter-American Democratic Charter and the challenges posted by mis/disinformation. The event continued with remarks by the U.S. Permanent Representative to the OAS and Chair of the Voluntary Group, Frank Mora, who underscored the value of the Voluntary Group in strengthening cooperation and dialogue in furtherance of the IADC.
Member states then shared their experiences and national initiatives in combating dis/misinformation, fostering a rich exchange of ideas and practices to uphold information integrity in democratic discourse and preserve civic space. Notable participants in this exchange included the Vice-Minister of Multilateral Affairs of Costa Rica, Alejandro Solano; the Vice-Minister of Multilateral Affairs of Colombia, Elizabeth Taylor Jay; the Permanent Representative of Brazil to the OAS, Benoni Belli; the Assistant Deputy Minister for Global Affairs Canada, Glen Linder; the Minister of Justice and Human Rights of Peru, Eduardo Arana; the Alternative Representative of Chile to the OAS, Rodrigo Dominguez; the Permanent Representative of the Dominican Republic to the OAS, Amb. Mayerlyn Cordero; the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the United States Department of State, Enrique Roig; and the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Guatemala, Monica Bolaños.
The event concluded with closing remarks by the Permanent Representative of The Bahamas to the OAS and Chair of the Permanent Council, Chet Neymour, and the OAS Secretary for Strengthening Democracy, Francisco Guerrero.
These recent events, combined with the adoption by the 54th General Assembly of resolutive text entitled “Follow-Up to the Inter-American Democratic Charter,” emphasized the shared dedication of the Voluntary Group, OAS member states, and allied organizations to support democratic values, counter dis/misinformation, and uphold principles outlined in the Democratic Charter. Through dialogue and cooperation, the Voluntary Group is actively reinforcing democratic practices and institutions throughout the Americas.