SELA awards recognition to Ambassador Oscar Labord

The Permanent Secretary of the Latin American and Caribbean Economic System (SELA), Ambassador Clarems Endara, awarded this Wednesday a special recognition to the Ambassador of Argentina in Venezuela, Óscar Laborde, for his exemplary work in favour of the well-being of the region and his invaluable contribution to the convergence and integration of Latin America and the Caribbean.

The recognition was presented within the framework of the XLIX Regular Meeting of the Latin American Council of SELA, which was chaired by Argentina during the year 2022 - 2023, a period in which Ambassador Laborde played a fundamental role in the execution of the Work Programme of the organisation and the strengthening of convergence in favour of integration.

Oscar Laborde is an Argentinean diplomat, politician and national public accountant. He was president of the Mercosur Parliament (PARLASUR) and has headed electoral missions in several Latin American countries. He has received recognition for his work in democracy promotion, including the Condor de los Andes and the Gran Cruz de la Real Orden de Isabel la Católica. He serves as Ambassador of the Argentine Republic to the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, a post to which he was appointed by President Alberto Fernández in July 2022 until December 2023.

The Latin American Council is the highest decision-making body of SELA and is made up of one representative of each Member State. Its attributions include considering, evaluating and approving: the work programme for the following year; the annual report submitted by the Permanent Secretariat; the budget and financial status of the mechanism, as well as examining the activities of the Permanent Secretariat and the Action Committees.

In its 48 years of uninterrupted work, SELA has become a regional organisation of reference, conducting consultation and coordination, cooperation and joint economic and social promotion tasks, of a permanent nature, with international legal personality, before countries, groups of nations, forums and international organisations.