By Raul de la Cruz
Rio Grande Guardian
LAREDO – A former editorial page editor for the Austin American-Statesman has written a blog suggesting U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar would be a good pick for U.S. Ambassador to Mexico.
Jesse Treviño also mentions Ricardo Romo, the president of the University of Texas at San Antonio, for the position, in a blog titled ‘A New Ambassador for a New Time.’ His website is called HispanicLatino.com.
Cuellar, D-Laredo, is a good friend of the incoming Mexican President, Enrique Peña Nieto, and will be at his inauguration on December 1 as part of the official U.S. congressional delegation. Cuellar is a strong supporter of comprehensive immigration reform but also believes in a strong border.
A member of the House Homeland Security Committee, Cuellar is regarded as one of the hardest-working and politically astute members of Congress. According to the San Antonio Express-News, Cuellar has “worked hard and demonstrated an independent nonpartisan mind-set.”
In his blog, Treviño says the current U.S. Ambassador to Mexico is a “placeholder,” or someone whose appointment was always considered temporary. The current Ambassador is Earl Anthony Wayne, who was appointed by President Obama in July 2011. Treviño says Wayne’s predecessor did not do a very good job. Carlos Pascual was appointed Ambassador to Mexico by President Obama in August, 2009, and only lasted a year and eight months.
Treviño says the Obama administration should use the Mexican ambassadorship as part of a long-term strategy linked to immigration reform.
“It might be advantageous to appoint a new ambassador for the second term that initially can help persuade Congress to enact an immigration package appropriate to the times but also be able to work with Mexico to make sure that any new law is properly understood and implemented.,” Treviño writes.
“Without co-operation and assistance from Mexico, any new (immigration) law is bound to falter. Immigration cannot be successfully managed by only one of the two governments that have equal stake in the back-and-forth flow of their people and an ever-conjoining economy.”
Treviño says the U.S. Ambassador to Mexico should be…
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