The Obama White House announced yesterday that it is nominating Arturo Valenzuela to be the next assistant secretary of state for Western Hemisphere Affairs. Valenzuela will succeed Thomas Shannon, who has held the position since 2005. The Senate must approve Valenzuela’s nomination.
Valenzuela, a professor at Georgetown University, was the director of Western Hemisphere Affairs in the National Security Council in Bill Clinton’s White House. There, he was a principal proponent of increased military assistance to Colombia under the 2000 Plan Colombia appropriation.
Valenzuela is the third Obama appointee with responsibility for U.S. policy toward Latin America and the Caribbean. The others are Dan Restrepo, a former legislative staffer and lawyer who is the director of Western Hemisphere Affairs in the National Security Council; and Frank Mora, a professor at the National War College who is now deputy assistant secretary of defense for Western Hemisphere Affairs.
May 13th, 2009 at 9:26 am
Mmmm, ho hum. I don’t know Valenzuela personally and, in fact, I have a good opinion of him. He is a serious scholar (not earth-shattering, but fine) and knows the region. Good thing: he’s already seasoned by his experience under Clinton. Bad thing: he’s already seasoned by his experience under Clinton. Would have liked something more “out of the box” but there were many much worse candidates out there.
May 13th, 2009 at 9:34 am
He wrote A Nation of Enemies along with Pamela Constable. It’s probably the best book on the Pinochet era I’ve read.
May 19th, 2009 at 6:03 am
I agree with lfm’s “ho-hum” comment. I fear though, that that same phrase will characterize our approach to LA over the next four years; be nice and don’t make waves. Hope I’m wrong…