New US Ambassador to the OAS warns he will demand democracy and human rights from countries in the region

Cuban-American Professor at Florida International University (FIU) Frank O. Mora, elected by US President Joe Biden as Ambassador to the Organization of American States (OAS), He promised to be a “steward of American values ​​such as democracy and human rights.”

Mora, who worked in the US Department of Defense and studied in Peru and Costa Rica, said in a statement that he was deeply honored by the appointment and expressed gratitude for the “opportunity” offered by Biden to serve as an ambassador to the OAS.

“If (the nomination) is confirmed, I promise to be a steward of American values ​​such as democracy and human rights in our hemisphere and beyond.”added Mora, who served between 2009 and 2013 as Undersecretary for Latin America at the Department of Defense, one of the continent’s most senior positions within the Pentagon.

“We are proud to see Frank nominated for this critical position in the hemisphere. Frank is someone who understands what it’s like to be on the ground and deal with the daily realities of the region, ”said FIU Chancellor Mark B. Rosenberg.

From now on, the US Senate will be responsible for holding hearings to assess Mora’s qualities and will ultimately have the power to confirm him in office.

Mora is currently Professor of Politics and International Relations at CRF, where he also conducts research and was Director of the Center for Caribbean and Latin American Studies (LACC). Prior to joining the faculty of this institution, he taught courses on national security strategy at the National War College and served as chair of the Department of International Studies at Rhodes College.

During his tenure as Assistant Under Secretary of Defense for the Western Hemisphere between 2009 and 2013 helped lead the United States’ response to the devastating earthquake that struck Haiti in 2010, which claimed the lives of over 300,000 people and left 400,000 injured and over 1.5 million homeless, the FIU statement added.

United States President Joe Biden this week appointed two key foreign policy posts in relation to Latin America and the Caribbean, which the Senate must now confirm.

If it is ratified, Mora can facilitate greater Washington leadership in a region ravaged by COVID-19 and rocked by recent protests in Cuba, the assassination of the President of Haiti, the crackdown on opponents in Nicaragua and the crisis in Venezuela, in addition waves of immigration, massive demonstrations and questioned electoral processes.

Mora’s appointment to the OAS, an organization fractured in recent years by the Venezuelan crisis, is seen as a sign of the Biden government’s interest in the rest of the continent. “Few experts in Latin America and the Caribbean are as respected as Mora. He has extensive knowledge of the region, impressive policy experience and excellent university degrees. He’s also politically sharp, ”said Michael Shifter, chair of the Inter-American Dialogue think tank.

“He will be a key player” in the OAS, he assured AFP, stressing that his appointment is “wise and welcome” and, given the upheavals in the region, “it must be confirmed at most. fast”.

Another important appointment for the region, that of experienced politician Ken Salazar as Ambassador to Mexico, was discussed this week in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. But the panel chaired by influential Democratic Senator Bob Menéndez has not yet set a date to vote for the authorization.

Appointed in June by Biden, Salazar, Obama’s former interior minister, will be tasked with cultivating the hitherto cold relationship with Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador. “It’s time to create a transformative change in the relationship between the United States and Mexico, ushering in a new era of partnership with our neighbor to the south,” he said at Wednesday’s hearing.

Salazar, who like Mora worked in Biden’s presidential campaign to attract the Latin American vote, identifies as Mexican-American even though his ancestors were Spanish settlers who founded Santa Fe, in what is now the US state. from New Mexico in the 16th century. .

With information from EFE and AFP

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