The OAS and the repoliticisation of the Cuban question in the Americas

This chapter addresses the way the issue of Cuba is dealt with at the OAS General Secretariat. Since Luis Almagro’s election as Secretary General in 2015, scholars and experts alike have noted a shift in the role of the OAS General Secretariat, as Almagro’s politics have become very much attuned with those of the White House and State Department under President Donald Trump. This was not what was expected, as Almagro’s candidacy was strongly promoted by former Uruguayan president José Mujica and was even supported by Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro. This chapter aims to understand the Secretary General’s newfound policy direction, which I will analyse as a form of repoliticisation of the institution and of the function of the Secretary General.