Joe Biden appoints Puerto Rican Marie Carmen Aponde as US Ambassador to Panama

Washington DC – The President Joe Biden Today Puerto Rican Marie Carmen Ponte was appointed US Ambassador to Panama.

Abonde was US Ambassador to El Salvador and Under Secretary of State for Latin America during the Barack Obama administration. Prior to that, he was Managing Director Puerto Rico Federal Affairs Administration (Prfaa) During the reign of Sila Maria Calderon.

Puerto Rican Democratic Congresswoman Nidia Velasquez, elected by the New York District, praised the appointment. “Ambassador Ponde is a Puerto Rican women’s pioneer and highly qualified to become Panama’s next ambassador. She has decades of experience and has served with dignity in positions of internal and external affairs.Velasquez said.

Panamanian Foreign Minister Erica Maynes believes the appointment of Puerto Rican Abonde will strengthen diplomatic relations with the United States.

During the last semester of the Barack Obama administration, Ponte was the last person in the federal government when the White House tenant appointed him. Assistant Secretary of State for Latin America.

That appointment, on an interim basis, prevented the Senate Republicans from appointing him as U.S. ambassador for the third time, to the Organization of American States (OAS) at the time.

He provided a continuing mission to re-establish diplomatic relations between the United States and Cuba.

Precisely, the Republicans stopped their appointment for OAS by reconsidering a romantic relationship that ended a quarter of a century ago with a Cuban-born businessman who frequently visited the Cuban interest office in Washington DC.

In 1998, Republicans stopped the appointment of President Bill Clinton as US Ambassador to the Dominican Republic. Now, Abonde’s appointment will be considered by the Democrats with a one-vote majority in the US Senate.

Another Puerto Rican, Carmen Cantor – named after Donald Trump – is the U.S. ambassador to the Federation of States of Micronesia, which has free contact with the U.S. government.

Abonde, in addition to his diplomatic experience, has a career as a lawyer in Washington DC and New York. He was a collaborator of the Puerto Rican Fund for Education and Legal Protection, now known as the Latin Judge.

He was a mentor to many Puerto Ricans in the US capital.

Her friend, Congressman Velasquez, noted that Abonde “(Jimmy) was one of the first Latin people to serve as a member of the White House in the Carter administration” and broke barriers such as being one of the first founders of a minority-owned law firm.

He was also the second ambassador to Puerto Rican in the United States.

As ambassador to El Salvador, he was a strong voice in support of human rights, sustainable development and democracy. I have no doubt that she will bring uniqueness and experience as an ambassador to Panama, ”Velasquez added.