The OAS elects Cuban activist Rosa María Payá, nominated by the US, as IACHR commissioner

Cuban activist Rosa María Payá was elected Friday as a new member of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR), in a vote held during the 55th General Assembly of the Organization of American States (OAS) in Antigua and Barbuda. Prompted by the U.S. nomination, Payá became the first to be selected in the process, receiving 20 votes from member countries.

Known for her defense of democracy and her forceful denunciations of the regimes in Cuba, Venezuela and Nicaragua, Payá arrives at the IACHR backed by a career marked by the struggle for freedom. Founder of the organization Cuba Decide and daughter of dissident Oswaldo Payá, the activist has maintained a firm stance against human rights abuses in the region.

Direct support from Washington

The U.S. administration had been clear in its support for Payá's candidacy. Under Secretary of State Christopher Landau urged OAS member countries on Thursday to vote for her nomination, warning that the regional organization's role was in question if it did not take seriously the crises affecting the region, especially in Venezuela and Haiti.

Following the vote, Secretary of State Marco Rubio celebrated the news on social media, stating that "Payá’s voice and tireless advocacy in defense of freedom, democracy, and human rights in our region is needed now more than ever."

"The Americas have paid a high price for tolerating the Cuban regime"

In a statement after being elected, Payá reaffirmed her commitment to the defense of human rights and attributed the current democratic crisis in Venezuela and Nicaragua to the influence of the Cuban regime. The Americas "have paid a very high price for tolerating the Cuban regime for so long," she said.

In addition, she promised to continue the legacy of her father, Oswaldo Payá, assassinated in 2012 by the Cuban regime, as concluded by the IACHR itself in 2023. The Commission determined that the accident in which he died was caused by a vehicle that rammed the car in which he was traveling, driven by Spanish politician Ángel Carromero.