The Obama Administration's Ambassador to the OAS
In April of this year, at the Summit of the Americas, President Obama proclaimed his commitment to Latin America and the Caribbean, based on common interests and shared values.
I pledge to you that the United States will be there as a friend and a partner, because our futures are inextricably bound to the future of the people of the entire hemisphere. And we are committed to shaping that future through engagement that is strong and sustained, that is meaningful, that is successful, and that is based on mutual respect and equality.
Seven months later, though, the United States' image throughout Latin America and President Obama's commitment to a new relationship with the region both appear shaky. This owes to the apparent failure of the U.S. backed Tegucigalpa-San José Accord in Honduras and the increasing tensions between Colombia and Venezuela as a result of the U.S.-Colombia military base agreement. Restoring confidence in a renewed U.S. approach will be a long process, but one step that could be taken quickly is the confirmation of President Obama's nominee for the Permanent Representative of the United States of America to the Organization of American States (otherwise known as the U.S. Ambassador to the OAS), Carmen Lomellin. On September 14th, President Obama announced Lomellin's nomination, which was sent to the Senate the following day. Almost two months have passed and Lomellin's nomination still has not been confirmed by the Senate. While the Senate Foreign Relations Committee finally held Lomellin's confirmation hearing last Wednesday, the Committee must still vote on her confirmation before she can assume her post at the OAS. Here is her biography released by the White House:
Ms. Lomellin is currently the Director of Outreach for the Organization of America States (OAS). She previously served as the Executive Secretary of the Inter-American Commission of Women within the OAS, where she focused on hemispheric policies and issues affecting women, particularly in the areas of gender equality, economic empowerment and human rights. Prior to her time at the OAS, she served as White House Liaison and Senior Policy Advisor to the Director at the Office of Personnel Management in the Clinton Administration. Ms. Lomellin also worked in Presidential Personnel at the White House and as Adviser on Hispanic Affairs for the White House Office for Women's Initiatives and Outreach. Prior to her time in Washington, Ms. Lomellin held various positions in Chicago, including serving as Director of the Private Industry Council of Chicago for Mayor Richard M. Daley. She has worked for the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund as Director of Leadership Development, and for Chicago United, a civic think tank, as Director of Economic Development. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Management from St. Joseph's Calumet College and a Masters in Business Administration in International Business from De Paul University.
Presently holding the position of acting U.S. Ambassador to the OAS is the Bush administration's appointee, Lewis Amselem. In July 2008, Amselem was appointed to be the Deputy U.S. Permanent Representative to the OAS. Prior to this position, he was the Foreign Policy Advisor at the United States Southern Command, where he "provided assistance and expert advice to the Commander on issues involving SOUTHCOM's mission as it relates to the formulation and execution of foreign policy." More on his career can be found here. Amselem has been described as an ultra-conservative Bush administration holdover, and the statements he has made on the United States' behalf regarding Honduras have often sounded out of sync with the Obama administration's line. Two examples:
- November: "I've heard many in this room say that they will not recognize the elections in Honduras. I'm not trying to be a wiseguy, but what does that mean? What does that mean in the real world, not in the world of magical realism?"
- September: "The return of Zelaya [without] an agreement is irresponsible and foolish. He should cease and desist from making wild allegations and from acting as though he were starring in an old movie."
Yesterday, State Department Assistant Secretary Philip Crowley reiterated the United States' commitment "to continue to support the OAS process" in Honduras. The Obama administration nominee for assistant secretary of state for Western Hemisphere Affairs, Arturo Valenzuela, finally assumed the post yesterday, after his nomination was held for months by Senator Jim DeMint (R-SC). As the political crisis in Honduras and the tensions from the United States' increased military presence in Colombia continue, the Obama administration ever more urgently needs its own OAS ambassador.