As Venezuela teeters on the brink of economic collapse, its problems are roiling the Organization of American States, an institution that faces its own dire financial crisis under a new leader who is pushing it to focus more on human rights and democracy.

The Washington-based OAS convened its general assembly here this week amid a spiraling economic and political crisis in Venezuela that has brought the transformation to the forefront.

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James Cavallaro, one of its seven commissioners, said 40 percent of the small staff will have to be laid off by the end of July if the organization does not get guarantees of contributions to fund its $9 million budget. He said he had secured some commitments, but not enough, during the OAS meeting in Santo Domingo.

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