Elisa Ruiz Díaz

Elisa Mercedes Ruiz Díaz Bareiro (16 October 1964 – 19 May 2021) was a Paraguayan lawyer and diplomat. She was the Permanent Representative of Paraguay to the Organization of American States (OAS) from 2013 until her death. She served as the Chair of the OAS Permanent Council from 6 April 2021 to 19 May 2021.

Early career Ruiz Díaz was born on 16 October 1964. which was tasked with promulgating a new constitution. Twenty-one female delegates were elected, out of 198 in total. She later stood in the 1993 general election.

After 1999, Ruiz Díaz worked as a notary public for several firms such as Garden Automotores SA, La Consolidada SA de Seguros, and Visión Banco. On 6 April 2021, she became the chair of the OAS Permanent Council for a three-month term. The OAS member countries hold this position in rotation, and Paraguay's previous turn was in 2013. As chair, Ruiz Díaz pressed for equitable distribution of COVID-19 vaccines among the countries of the Americas.

Death Ruiz Díaz died on 19 May 2021 in Washington, D.C. The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights said that she had been ill for a year prior. She was the longest currently-serving Permanent Representative to the OAS. The Vice Chair of the OAS Permanent Council, Ronald Sanders from Antigua and Barbuda,