Posted on 03/15/2007 2:42:20 PM PDT by SwinneySwitch
WASHINGTON – President Bush tapped former Rep. Henry Bonilla of San Antonio on Thursday to serve as the permanent representative of the United States to the Organization of American States.
The position carries the rank of ambassador.
Bonilla had sought the ambassadorship to the organization, which promotes democracy in the Western Hemisphere.
“I'm excited. It's a tremendous opportunity,”' Bonilla said.
The appointment comes one day after Bush completed a six-day trip through Latin America, where he announced initiatives on health care, education and housing.
Bush also pledged his efforts to push through Congress a comprehensive immigration reform bill that would create a guest worker program considered critical to Central American nations and Mexico.
The president also appointed William Brownfield of Lubbock, the current U.S. ambassador to Venezuela, to serve as ambassador to Colombia.
Bonilla replaces Ambassador John Maisto, who stepped down in December. Bonilla, 53, was defeated in a re-election bid Dec. 12 by Rep. Ciro Rodriguez, D-San Antonio, after serving 14 years in Congress.
He was a former broadcast news executive at KENS-TV in San Antonio.
He graduated with a bachelor's degree in journalism from the University of Texas in 1976.
Bonilla and wife Sheryl own a Capitol Hill condominium and a San Antonio home, property records show.
I thought we already had a guest worker program?
After that first mention of his name and San Antonio, why did I know he'd be on the first plane south of the border...
See my tagline.
OAS Ping!
If you want on, or off this S. Texas/Mexico ping list, please FReepMail me.
Holly Sklar wrote a book about this a long time ago....
now it is upon us.
trilateralism is the current attempt by ruling elites to manage both dependence and democracy-at home and abroad...
*sigh* Looks like Ambassador Bonilla won't be running for his old House seat.
I have hopes for Lyle Larson, who is exploring a run. He has plenty of electoral experience and great appeal in the western part of the district.
We need to be running Hispanics in this district, not Anglos. The fact that TX sends ZERO Hispanic Republicans to DC is very disturbing, given the demographic trend.
Henry Bonilla was the ONLY Hispanic Republican in Congress.
The last time one of Bush's diplomatic appointments made news was a few weeks ago. That guy who wanted to be Ambassador to Belgium and who had given a boatload of money to the Swift Boat Vets ran smack-dab into Kerry on the Senate committee. Is it safe to say that his appointment got blown out of the water, so to speak?
Ah.... eh?
No, Bonilla was the only Mexican-American Republican in Congress. We still have 6 other Hispanics. FL has 4 Cuban Republicans (the Diaz-Balarts; Ros-Lehtinen & Sen. Martinez). CA has a Portuguese-American (Nunes). PR has a native Republican Resident Commissioner (Fortuño).
Thanks fieldmarshaldj, for clearing that up.
SS
Sure thing. ;-)
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