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For the first time in 50 years, the United Nations agency for migration was not led by an American, invaded by the 172 members of the Portuguese candidate Antnio Vitorino.
The position of director of the International Organization for Migration), an agency with 172 Member States and of which the United States is the main contributor to European countries, has been occupied since its creation in 1951 by Americans, with one exception only between 1961 and 1969, date at which post
Accused of being anti-Muslim and not believing in climate change, Isaacs badured AFP
This time Here, Washington's nominee, Ken Isaacs, did not gather the necessary votes, which "never" took into account the religion of those in need.
The appointment of the new Director General of the IOM comes at a time when the Trump government has received several criticisms from the UN regarding the ban on entry into his country. The erritrium of six Muslim-majority countries and their recent decision to separate children from their migrant parents, an initiative that had to be abandoned by the strong social pressure in the United States.
The members of the organization elected the former Portuguese Minister Antonio Vitorino, 61 years old. Laura Machson, current Deputy Director of the IOM, has decided to withdraw her name after the fourth round of voting
"Antnio Manuel de Carvalho Ferreira Vitorino, the new Director General of the IOM," tweeted the migration agency. of the UN, after the five-hour election.
The new director of IOM, which has 172 member states, will take office on 1 October.
– The close friend of Guterres –
Vitorino "had a brilliant career in Portugal as a lawyer and in politics," IOM said in a statement.
Politician and lawyer, Vitorino entered the Portuguese Socialist Party during the Carnation Revolution in 1974 when he was not yet 18 years old. He was elected for the first time in 1980 as Secretary of State under the government of Mario Soares (1983-1985) and Minister during Antnio Guterres (1995-1997).
Vitorino said Friday that he is a "close friend" of the UN Secretary-General. According to Guterres, he is "a man of good advice" and "the best of our generation".
He was elected to the European Parliament in 1994, although he best remembers as European Commissioner in the Justice and Home Affairs portfolio between 1999 and 2004. In 1997, he resigned as Minister of Defense from Portugal after a newspaper accused him of tax evasion.
He has been quoted a few times as a candidate for the post of Prime Minister or President of the Republic, but since then he has not participated in national politics.
Regarded as a very intelligent man and prone to a direct confrontation, Vitorino never completely diverted from the spheres of power. Since he left the police in 2005, Vitorino has worked as a collaborator at the Cuatrecasas office, Gonalves Pereira & Associados, according to the IOM
– US Repression? –
The future director of IOM, succeeds American William Lacy Swing, who has served two five-year terms before this institution including the United States one of the leading financiers.
The Portuguese victory was a defeat for the United States, and some wonder if Trump could reduce, by way of revenge, some lines of credit.
Nominated candidate in February, Isaacs is in the eye of the hurricane since the Washington Post newspaper published a series of anti-Muslim commentaries that he published between 2015 and 2017 on social networks.
In several women, who fainted after the controversy, Isaacs stated, among other things, that the Choir "ordered" acts of violence against Muslims and suggested that Christian refugees should be given priority over others. .
Isaacs lamented his "reckless" comments, and the State Department found it "appropriate" to apologize for his words.
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