Formed in 2004, the Friends of the Democratic Charter group is composed of former presidents, prime ministers, and Cabinet ministers from the Western Hemisphere who seek to increase the visibility of the Inter-American Democratic Charter and to prevent democratic tensions from erupting into crises. The friends visit countries to assess democratic tensions, encourage citizens and governments to make use of international resources to defend their democracies and resolve constitutional conflicts, and recommend ways for the OAS to apply the Charter in a constructive and preventative manner. The Carter Center serves as secretariat for the Friends. Read more about the Friends' work.
Members
- Diego Abente Brun, former Minister of Justice and Labor of Paraguay
- Mariclaire Acosta, former Undersecretary of Foreign Relations for Human Rights and Democracy of Mexico
- Carlos Ayala Corao, former President Inter-American Commission on Human Rights
- Nicolás Ardito Barletta, former President of Panama
- Cecilia Blondet, former Minister for the Advancement of Women and Human Development of Peru
- Catalina Botero Marino, former Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression, Inter-American Human Rights Commission (IACHR)
- Santiago Canton, former Director of RFK Partners for Human Rights at the Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice & Human Rights
- Fernando Henrique Cardoso, former President of Brazil
- Jimmy Carter, former President of the United States of America
- Jorge Castañeda, former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Mexico
- Joe Clark, former Prime Minister of Canada
- Humberto de la Calle, former Vice President of Colombia (on leave – Gov negotiator for peace talks)
- Santiago Corcuera, UN Rapporteur and Chair, Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances
- Alejandro Foxley, former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Chile
- Enrique Garcia, former Executive President of the Development Bank of Latin America (CAF)
- Diego García-Sayán, former Foreign Minister of Peru -Judge /Inter-American Court of Human Rights
- César Gaviria, former President of Colombia
- John Graham, Chair Emeritus, Canadian Foundation for the Americas
- Osvaldo Hurtado, former President of Ecuador
- Torquato Jardim, former Justice of the Superior Electoral Tribunal of Brazil
- Serena Joseph-Harris, former High Commissioner for the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
- Luis Alberto Lacalle, former President of Uruguay
- Samuel Lewis, former Vice-President and Foreign Minister of Panama
- Jennie Lincoln, Director, The Carter Center; Executive Secretary, Friends of the Charter
- John Maisto, former U.S. Ambassador to the OAS, Venezuela and Nicaragua
- John Manley, former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Canada
- Carlos Mesa, former President of Bolivia
- Andrés Pastrana, former President of Colombia
- Sonia Picado, chair of the Board of Directors of the Inter-American Institute of Human Rights
- Sergio Ramirez, former Vice-President of Nicaragua
- Sir Ronald Sanders, member of the Commonwealth Eminent Persons Group 2010-2011(on leave)
- Bruno Stagno, former Foreign Minister of Costa Rica
- Eduardo Stein, former Vice President of Guatemala
- Martín Torrijos, former President of Panama
- Fernando Tuesta Soldevilla, former Director, National Office of Electoral Processes, Peru
- Joaquín Villalobos, A principal leader of the Farabundo Marti Nacional Liberation Front (FMLN), signatory of the Peace Agreements of El Salvador in 1992
