From Social Struggle to Diplomacy: Encinas and his New Role in the OAS
It seems that the circuit of public officials in Mexico is like one of those Netflix series that doesn’t know when to end: there is always a spin-off. The latest season brings us Alejandro Encinas Rodríguez, a name that sounds more like a serious academic than a diplomatic star, but here we are. The joint committees on Foreign Relations and International Organizations of the Senate gave him the go-ahead, which is basically the pass for his appointment as the new representative of Mexico to the Organization of American States (OAS) to be discussed and voted on in the plenary session. If everything goes according to the script, and in politics it rarely does, the former head of government of CDMX and former undersecretary of the Interior will be sworn in to his new position as a diplomat, changing (we assume) the city’s traffic through the labyrinth of international relations. A transition that promises as much as a government procedure on a Monday morning.
When taking the floor, Encinas, with the serenity of someone who has navigated waters more turbulent than a family chat group, declared that during his administration at the OAS, Mexico will continue to advocate for the self-determination of peoples and respect for human rights. “We will promote multilateralism, democracy, human rights, the fight against human trafficking and migrant smuggling,” he stated. Come on, a wish list that sounds like a fancy restaurant menu in a world that can only afford fast food. But hey, dreaming costs nothing, and in diplomacy, sometimes it’s the only thing left.
He noted that he will ensure a gender perspective and will contribute to the strengthening of the OAS, in addition to promoting that multilateralism that promotes democracy under the principle of equality and non-discrimination. “It is necessary to promote a State diplomacy based on the individual with a feminist foreign policy that the government of Mexico has been promoting, a humanist policy of protection and defense of human rights and that places the dignity of the people and the comprehensive development of all the countries in the region at the center.” Sounds good, right? Like that exercise plan we started in January and abandoned in February, but with more speeches and less sweat.
The Agenda: Multilateralism, Look South and Manage Risks
Encinas broke down what his lines of action will be, which sound more ambitious than trying to organize your inbox. “A second task will have to do with strengthening the multilaterality of our relations and we will turn to the south, not only to the south of the continent but particularly to the Caribbean, countries that are fundamental in the strengthening and operation of the Organization of American States.” Basically, it is the diplomatic version of “we must like the neighbors we always ignore.” He explained that the third issue is linked to the risk agenda for the security of the region. Because, let’s be honest, in this day and age, security risks are more varied and scarier than TikTok filters.
And then there is the elephant in the room, or rather, the historical tension between the government of Mexico and the OAS, a drama that has been dragging on since the last six-year term. Alejandro Encinas, with the honesty of someone who admits that there was a problem in a toxic relationship, acknowledged that “of course there have been tensions and we will have to address this with work to recover the institutional legitimacy of the OAS and particularly of the General Secretariat.” Come on, a diplomatic rescue mission that promises more intrigue than a political thriller.
“There were important tensions with the previous Secretary General, although there were also moments of recognition in the resolutions organized by the OAS, for example when the unfortunate incident that led the Armed Forces in Ecuador to violate the diplomatic headquarters of our country and that led to the breakdown of relations. But we have had very good relations with many of the areas of the OAS, with the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, with the entire OAS Human Rights system, which has significantly recognized much of the work carried out on issues linked to serious violations. committed in our country, where the American State has recognized its responsibility on many occasions”. It’s like saying, “yes, we had our disagreements, but there were also good memes in the group.” A delicate balance, without a doubt.
While Encinas prepares to navigate these waters, the commissions also approved other appointments, because in politics, news comes in combination. Carlos Eugenio García de Alba Cepeda was appointed as extraordinary and plenipotentiary ambassador of Mexico in the Federative Republic of Brazil, and Laura Elena Carrillo Cubillas, as extraordinary and plenipotentiary ambassador to serve as permanent representative in Mexico to the agencies of the United Nations Organization based in Rome, Italy: the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the World Food Program (WFP) and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD). Basically, the Mexican diplomatic team is having one of those days where everyone updates their LinkedIn at the same time.
In summary, the appointment of Encinas is a strategic move on the board of Mexican foreign policy. He arrives with an agenda full of good intentions, the background of an experienced official and the challenge of rebuilding an institutional relationship that has been, as we would say colloquially, “complicated.” Its ability to promote multilateralism, promote human rights with a gender perspective and strengthen ties with the south of the continent will be crucial not only for Mexico’s image at the hemispheric level, but for the very effectiveness of the OAS as a forum for dialogue and collective action. In a world where international cooperation is more vital than ever, but also more fragile, Encinas’ management will be an interesting thermometer of how far Mexican diplomacy can go in times of polarization and intertwined global crises. His track record on human rights issues and his knowledge of government structure are valuable assets, but the OAS setting is a completely different beast, full of competing interests and power dynamics that will test all his expertise.
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