The United States warned it would leave the OAS if it did not defend democracy in Venezuela.

In a stern warning, the United States government, led by Donald Trump, made it clear that it could withdraw from the Organization of American States (OAS) if the organization doesn't make a concrete commitment to the restoration of democracy in Venezuela.

The statement was delivered by Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau during a high-level meeting at the regional forum, amid growing tensions over the role played by the OAS in relation to left-wing dictatorships in Latin America.

Landau, with deep knowledge of the hemisphere, was direct in stating that the United States is reassessing its membership in the OAS due to its alignment with geopolitical interests that contradict the democratic values promoted by Washington.

With this, he targeted the bloc led by the Brazilian president, the communist Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, joined by other countries with left-wing governments and dictatorships, such as Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Honduras, Uruguay, and some Caribbean islands with growing Chinese influence. This group set an ideological agenda within the organization that uses the OAS as a geopolitical proxy.

"As you may know, President Trump issued an executive order in the early days of this Administration instructing the Secretary of State that, within six months, he must review all international organizations of which the United States is a member to determine whether such membership is in the interests of the United States and whether such organizations can be reformed," Landau explained, in a firm yet diplomatic message.

"Upon completion of that review, the Secretary must report his findings to the President and recommend whether the United States should withdraw from any of those organizations. That review is ongoing, and obviously OAS is one of the organizations we're reviewing," he added.

The official went further in describing what he considers a failure of the organization: "Last year, the entire world witnessed a blatantly stolen election in Venezuela. The opposition not only won overwhelmingly, but it had the evidence to prove it: the "actas"."

"The regime did not even bother to seriously challenge the validity of the "actas" or the electoral fraud. In response to that blatant electoral fraud, what has this organization done? As far as we can see, nothing substantial," he criticized.

As evidence of growing disenchantment, the State Department has already drafted a budget proposal for 2026 that foresees zero financial contribution from the United States to the OAS. Currently, Washington funds 50% of the organization's total budget.

The complicity can be seen with the OAS Secretary General, Albert Ramdin, who refuses to label Nicolás Maduro's regime as a dictatorship, thus avoiding taking a strong stance on the political situation in Venezuela.

The warning made it clear that, for the Trump administration, continued membership in the OAS depends on a political definition: either the OAS defends democracy or it will lose the support of its largest contributor.