The Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS), Albert R. Ramdin, and Jaime Bestard, a member of Paraguay's Superior Tribunal of Electoral Justice (TSJE), today signed an agreement formalizing the deployment of an Electoral Observation Mission (EOM) for the country's municipal elections on October 4, 2026.
During the signing ceremony, Secretary General Ramdin highlighted the openness demonstrated by Paraguay and the TSJE, as well as the Organization's commitment to democracy in the country. "This electoral process is taking place at a time when democracies around the world face significant challenges, including polarization, disinformation, and growing pressure on democratic institutions," he said. Secretary General Ramdin added that "transparent, inclusive, and well-administered elections are essential to strengthening public trust and ensuring that the will of the people is fully respected."
For his part, Minister Bestard expressed appreciation for the support the OAS has provided to Paraguay's electoral processes and said that "the signing of this agreement is another step forward in the very fruitful relationship we have with the Organization." He added that the Mission's presence provides a guarantee and that its recommendations will help make Paraguay's electoral system more efficient and transparent.
The Permanent Representative of Paraguay to the OAS, Raúl Florentín, also highlighted the value of the Organization's Electoral Observation Missions in the region. "For Paraguay, receiving the Electoral Observation Mission is very important, as it represents a mark of credibility that lends legitimacy to the elections," said the Ambassador.
Secretary General Ramdin appointed former Uruguayan Deputy Foreign Minister Nicolás Albertoni as Chief of Mission. More than five million voters will be eligible to elect their local authorities for the 2026-2031 term.
This will be the 17th Electoral Observation Mission deployed by the OAS in Paraguay.
Reference: FNE-145040
