Editing Organization of American States (section)

== Membership and adhesions ==
{{Main list|Member states of the Organization of American States}}
Upon its foundation in 1948, the OAS had 21 members, most of them in [[Latin America]]:

{{div col|colwidth=15em}}
*[[Argentina]]
*[[Bolivia]]
*[[Brazil]]
*[[Chile]]
*[[Colombia]]
*[[Costa Rica]]
*[[Cuba]]{{refn|Suspended from 1962 to 2009, however the Cuban government has stated it does not intend to resume participation in the organization. See [[Cuba–OAS relations]].|group=Note}}
*[[Dominican Republic]]
*[[Ecuador]]
*[[El Salvador]]
*[[Guatemala]]
*[[Haiti]]<!--Was Haiti suspended in 1991?-->
*[[Honduras]]{{refn|Suspended between 2009–2011.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/americas/06/01/honduras.oas/ |title=OAS readmits Honduras to its ranks |date=1 June 2011 |access-date=1 November 2012 |publisher=CNN}}</ref> See [[#Suspension of Honduras (2009–2011)|Suspension of Honduras]] below.|group=Note}}
*[[Mexico]]
*[[Nicaragua]]{{refn|On 19 November 2021, Nicaragua announced its intention to withdraw from the OAS. Per the terms of the charter, the process became effective two years following notification, on 19 November 2023.<ref name="WaPo"/> See [[#Status of Nicaragua|Status of Nicaragua]] below.|name=NIC|group=Note}}
*[[Panama]]
*[[Paraguay]]
*[[Peru]]
*[[United States]]
*[[Uruguay]]
*[[Venezuela]]{{refn|On 28 April 2017, Venezuela notified the OAS of its denunciation of the Charter of the OAS, which as per Article 143 would lead to the withdraw of Venezuela from the OAS effective two years from the date of notification.<ref name=VZWD/>  During the [[2019 Venezuelan presidential crisis]], the [[President of the National Assembly of Venezuela]] [[Juan Guaidó]], who was recognized by the [[National Assembly (Venezuela)|National Assembly]] as the acting president, sent a letter to the OAS Secretary General annulling the previous denunciation of the OAS Charter, and expressing his desire for Venezuela to remain a member of the OAS.<ref name=VZWD/>  The National Assembly designated a special envoy as representative to the OAS, who the OAS voted to recognize as Venezuela's delegate in April.<ref name="VZSE">{{cite web|url=http://www.oas.org/en/media_center/press_release.asp?sCodigo=S-001/19|title=Resolution on the Situation in Venezuela|date=9 April 2019|access-date=29 April 2019|publisher=Organization of American States}}</ref><ref name=VZGD/>|name=VEN|group=Note}}
{{div col end}}

The later expansion of the OAS included [[Canada]] and the newly independent nations of the [[Caribbean]]. Members with later admission dates (sorted chronologically):
{{div col|colwidth=15em}}
*[[Barbados]] (member since 1967)
*[[Trinidad and Tobago]] (1967)
*[[Jamaica]] (1969)
*[[Grenada]] (1975)
*[[Suriname]] (1977)
*[[Dominica]] (1979)
*[[Saint Lucia]] (1979)
*[[Antigua and Barbuda]] (1981)
*[[Saint Vincent and the Grenadines]] (1981)
*[[Bahamas]] (1982)
*[[Saint Kitts and Nevis]] (1984)
*[[Canada]] (1990)
*[[Belize]] (1991)
*[[Guyana]] (1991)
{{div col end}}

=== Canada and the OAS ===
Although admission into OAS's predecessor, the Pan American Union, was initially restricted to republics, several overtures were still made for Canada to join the organization in 1928, 1933, 1936, and 1938. During the 1936 Pan American Union Conference, the organization extended its membership from only "American republics" to "American states" to accommodate Canada's admission as a constitutional monarchy.{{sfn|Pharand|1986|p=432}} However, U.S. opposition to Canadian membership prevented their admittance, with the U.S. fearing the admittance of Canada to the OAS would bring with it British influence that could impede its freedom of action within the organization. The U.S. reversed its position on Canadian membership in 1947.{{sfn|Pharand|1986|p=433}} However, by that time, Canadian foreign policy had adopted an [[Atlanticist]] position with a European focus;{{sfn|Pharand|1986|p=454}} resulting in the Canadian government seeing little value in pursuing OAS membership.{{sfn|Pharand|1986|p=433}} 

From the 1960s to the 1980s, the Canadian government expressed some interest in joining the OAS, having successfully applied for permanent observer status in 1972 to evaluate potential membership.{{sfn|Pharand|1986|p=436}} In the 1980s, the Canadian government incrementally increased its participation in OAS activities.<ref>{{cite book|title=Canada and the OAS: From Dilettante to Full Partner|publisher=McGill-Queen's University Press|year=1995|last=McKenna|first=Peter|isbn=0886292581|page=144}}</ref> Canada signed the Charter of the Organization of American States in 1989. Canada's membership in the OAS was formalized when the decision was ratified in 1990.<ref>{{cite web |last1=OAS |title=Charter of the Organization of American States (a-41): Signatories and Ratifications |url=https://www.oas.org/en/sla/dil/inter_american_treaties_A-41_charter_OAS_signatories.asp#Canada |website=OAS |date=August 2009 |access-date=2 June 2022}}</ref>

=== Sanctions against the Dominican Republic during Trujillo regime===
{{see also|Assassination attempt of Rómulo Betancourt}}
{{citations needed section|date=November 2021}}

During the 6th Conference of Foreign Ministers of the Organization of American States (OAS) in [[Costa Rica]], from 16 to 20 August 1960, a conviction against the State of the Dominican Republic was agreed to unanimously. The penalty was motivated because the foreign ministers checked the veracity of the claim that the [[Rafael Trujillo]] regime had sponsored an attack against [[Rómulo Betancourt]], at that time the constitutional president of Venezuela. The meeting was attended by foreign ministers from 21 American nations, including [[Cuba]], which at that time had not yet been expelled from the inter-American system.

All countries, including the [[United States]] and [[Haiti]], broke off diplomatic relations with the Dominican Republic. Additionally an economic blockade that affected the exports of sugar was applied, which at that time was the pillar of the Dominican economy.

It was the first application of the [[Inter-American Treaty of Reciprocal Assistance]], which had been adopted at the OAS on 29 July 1960.

=== Permanent observers ===
As of 31 January 2014, there are 69 permanent observer countries including the four countries with territory or territories in the Americas—Denmark, France, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom; as well as the [[European Union]] and [[India]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.oas.org/en/media_center/press_release.asp?sCodigo=E-675/11 |title=OAS - Organization of American States: Democracy for peace, security, and development |date=1 August 2009|website=www.oas.org}}</ref><ref>[http://www.oas.org/en/ser/dia/perm_observers/countries.asp SER :: DIA :: Permanent Observers]. OAS. Retrieved on 12 July 2013.</ref><ref>{{cite news |title= Montenegro Gains Observer Status to Organisation of American States |date= 4 February 2014 |url= http://www.gov.me/en/News/135189/Montenegro-gains-observer-status-to-Organisation-of-American-States-OAS.html |access-date= 4 February 2014 |archive-date= 24 February 2014 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140224053707/http://www.gov.me/en/News/135189/Montenegro-gains-observer-status-to-Organisation-of-American-States-OAS.html |url-status= dead }}</ref>

In March 2022, the OAS voted to suspend [[Russia]] as a permanent observer due to the [[2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.semana.com/mundo/articulo/preguntense-a-quien-hubiera-apoyado-simon-bolivar-dijo-zelenski-en-un-emotivo-discurso-ante-la-oea/202236/ | title="Pregúntense a quién hubiera apoyado Simón Bolívar", dijo Zelenski en un emotivo discurso ante la OEA | date=6 October 2022 }}</ref>