The OAS Is in Hot Water Again – This Time over Corruption

An internal memorandum from the Trump administration is now demanding an independent investigation into the tenure of Albert Ramdin as Organization of American States (OAS) assistant secretary general, alleging potential administrative irregularities, nepotism, and the misuse of resources within the supranational body.As we can observe, corruption is not among them.

Yet, an internal memorandum from the Trump administration is now demanding an independent investigation into the tenure of Albert Ramdin as OAS assistant secretary general, alleging potential administrative irregularities, nepotism, and the misuse of resources within the supranational body.

The news portal Infobae, which first brought the memorandum to light, describes a “credibility crisis” within the organization and directly calls into question the rise of Xaviera Jessurun — a compatriot and close advisor to Ramdin — who is currently under investigation in Suriname for alleged corruption, fraud, and money laundering.

Ramdin reportedly kept her in key positions despite being fully aware of these investigations.

The Infobae report noted that when Jessurun previously worked at the Surinamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, her minister was Ramdin. “Thus, this is not the first time Ramdin has appointed Jessurun — who currently draws a privileged salary at the OAS — to a key position.”

The White House memorandum highlighted that Jessurun earns an annual salary exceeding the $250,600 received by the U.S. secretary of State. To make matters worse, her federal income taxes “are effectively being subsidized by the very citizens who are footing the bill.”

“In a twisted stroke of irony, U.S. taxpayers are personally paying the taxes of an underqualified Chief of Staff whom her own country of origin has deemed unfit to hold a diplomatic passport,” the document further elaborated. Regarding this new scandal, Neydy Casillas, vice president of International Affairs at the Global Center for Human Rights (GCHR), stated that the irregularities are nothing new.

“More than a year ago, we warned that Ramdin’s election could become a serious problem for the organization’s credibility,” she emphasized in a message d with various GCHR collaborators and supporters — a message to which I had access for this article. In recent months, she continued, “strong criticism had emerged against Ramdin for being absent during an IACHR presentation on human rights violations in Venezuela; for attempting to appoint a diplomat — previously investigated for corruption within the OAS itself — as his chief of staff; and for prioritizing personal expenses and internal renovations while the organization faces financial difficulties.”

Now, the United States — the OAS’s largest contributor — is calling for an external audit, an independent investigation, and immediate action against officials close to Ramdin, who entered Surinamese politics through the Progressive Reform Party (VHP, in Dutch).

The VHP positions itself as a centrist party. According to its website, it defends social welfare programs, access to employment, housing, and improved living conditions.

Although its public platform advocates for strengthening the rule of law — with a particular emphasis on fighting corruption — it is ironic that the most high-profile corruption scandal within the OAS currently centers on one of the VHP’s most prominent members.

This is not the first time in recent years that the OAS has found itself in hot water.

In November 2025, Arif Bulkan — a commissioner for the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) — was serving as a judge on the Caribbean Court of Justice while simultaneously acting as a prosecuting party within the Inter-American System.

This dual role created a conflict of interest that violated the regulations of the IACHR itself, the Inter-American System, and international standards established by the U.N. For its part, the GCHR announced that it will continue to monitor “any attempt to transform the OAS into an opaque, politicized structure that serves interests extraneous to the defense of democracy and human rights.”

Multilateral forums should not serve as spaces for international bureaucrats to amass power and fortune for their own benefit, but rather — first and foremost — to foster harmony and liberties within the region.

Yoe Suárez is The Washington Stand’s international affairs correspondent. He is an exiled journalist, writer, and producer who investigated in Havana about torture, political police, gangs, government black lists, and cybersurveillance. A graduate of Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, he was a CBN correspondent, and has written for outlets like The Hill and Newsweek. He has appeared on Vox, Univision, and Deutsche Welle as an analyst on Cuba, security, and U.S. foreign policy.

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