Basseterre, St. Kitts, May 31, 2023 (SKNIS) – A Guatemalan contingent, comprising Mr. Stuardo Ralon, the candidate for the Inter-American Commission of Human Rights, who is seeking re-election, along with Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ms. Karla Recari and the Ambassador of Guatemala to the Organisation of American States (OAS), H.E. Rita Claveri de Sciolli met with Ambassador Larry Vaughan, Head of the Regional Integration and Diaspora Unit (RIDU), Mr. Glenroy Blanchette, Permanent Secretary in the Prime Minister’s Office, Ms. Desiree Huggins, Assistant Secretary and Mr. Bjorn Hazel, Foreign Service Officer on May 30, 2023.
R-L: Mr. Stuardo Ralon; Ms. Desiree Huggins; Ms. Karla Recari; PS Glenroy Blanchette; H.E. Ambassador Larry Vaughn; H.E. Rita Claveri der Sciolli
The contingent also met with Senior Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Right Honourable Dr. Denzil Douglas at Government Headquarters.
The Right Hon. Dr. Denzil Douglas greets Mr. Stuardo Ralon
The members of the delegation met in their efforts to solicit St. Kitts and Nevis’ support for their candidature to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights within the Organisation of American States.
Commissioner Stuardo Ralon has an extensive knowledge of International Human Rights Law, particularly the Inter-American System for the Protection of Human Rights and has been a member of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights since 2020, a position which he currently holds, and which ends on December 31, 2023.
Mr. Stuardo Ralon
During their discussions, the parties identified possible areas of cooperation in the tourism, agriculture, and transportation sectors along with matters pertaining to human rights that St. Kitts and Nevis and Guatemala can seek to collaborate. Mr. Ralon stated that Guatemala and St. Kitts and Nevis, along with many of the CARICOM Member states, share a unique relationship as they are grouped together as ‘Latin America and the Caribbean’ by most international agencies, thus it is important to support each other where necessary.
Mr. Ralon emphasised his eagerness to meet with the CARICOM Heads of Government at the upcoming high-level meeting scheduled to be held in Suriname later this year where he will also seek to dialogue on how the governments can assist each other. He will also use the occasion to seek support for his re-election, as Guatemala is the only Central American Integration System (SICA) representative on the said body.
