Colombia's stakes are high this Monday at the OAS: Will Laura Gil be elected as assistant secretary general?

Colombia is playing a key role this Monday in Washington at the General Assembly of the Organization of American States (OAS), where the deputy secretary general for the 2025-2030 term will be elected . Ambassador Laura Gil, a candidate from the Colombian government, is hoping to fill this strategic position.

Gil, who currently serves as Colombia's ambassador to Austria and permanent representative to the United Nations in Vienna, will face two opponents : Peruvian Ana María Sánchez and Guatemalan Claudia Escobar. This will be the first time a woman holds the position.

The outlook, however, doesn't look easy for the Colombian candidate. Typically, an absolute majority (18 out of 34 votes) is required to secure the honor. According to EL TIEMPO's Washington correspondent, Claudia Escobar's arrival on the scene has fragmented the Caribbean bloc that had previously supported Gil, and she has taken the lead thanks to a nod from Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

"The Deputy Secretary General's fundamental role is to replace the Secretary General when he or she is absent . This allows him or her, and perhaps the most important aspect of the position, to have a certain visibility during the discussions taking place within the Permanent Council. It also allows him or her to play a moderating role in the discussions taking place within the organization," explained internationalist Manuel Camilo González.

The current Secretary General is Surinamese Foreign Minister Albert Ramdin. Colombia supported his candidacy to replace Luis Almagro, given his close stances toward Venezuela and the United States. "The revitalization of the OAS is important, as it is coming out of a very complex period. It played a less than entirely effective role in Venezuela; it could have been much better," said Mauricio Jaramillo, Deputy Minister of Multilateral Affairs.

If elected, I will be there to support Secretary-General Ramdin in forming a working team and consolidating an organizational culture that meets the expectations of Member States.

" If elected, I will be there to support Secretary General Ramdin in forming a working team and consolidating an organizational culture that meets the expectations of the Member States ," said Gil, who will be accompanied during the special session by Foreign Minister Laura Sarabia, who will take advantage of the opportunity to hold several bilateral meetings with White House officials.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Gil proposes updating the code of ethics and implementing tools such as artificial intelligence to strengthen transparency within the OAS .

"Laura is an internationalist, diplomat, and human rights defender. Her track record supports her as a candidate to assume the position of Assistant Secretary General of the OAS," the Foreign Ministry stated.

The fate will be known in the next few hours.

Juan Pablo Penagos Ramirez