The Organization of American States' Role as Facilitator of Democracy Promotion

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The Organization of American States (OAS) has steadily expanded its roles set as a form of role adjustment in response to the multifaceted international pressures the OAS is confronted with since the end of the Cold War. In addition, internal pressures in the form of an increasing polarization and role contestation among member states have emerged as a result of domestic political upheavals and oftentimes in response to the changing international system. This chapter takes a closer look at the OAS’ role as a facilitator of democracy promotion during the political crisis in Venezuela that started in 2014. It examines the conditions and mechanisms that allow the OAS to enact this role by socializing member states into commensurate roles and to prevent role conflict and institutional dysfunctionality. The empirical investigation of the crisis management in Venezuela highlights that, if operative, socialization can be a mechanism of role adjustment which buffers internal and external pressures. Yet due to the OAS’ institutional design, the prevention of role adjustment comes at the cost of institutional stalemate. As social norms and group values remain sticky, the polycentric world order can bring established regional governance structures to a halt without dissolute them entirely.