Bill Richardson’s Departure a Disappointment for Latinos

The announcement that Bill Richardson, governor of New Mexico, would become Secretary of Commerce in Barack Obama’s cabinet sparked off enthusiasm within the United States’ Hispanic sectors and, in general, within Latin-American countries.

Richardson is the most international of Latin-American “gringos” and an advocate of issues related to our countries and the growing U.S. population of Latin American origin.

On Nov. 26, we expressed our delight in these same columns with an editorial titled ‘Bill Richardson, the Latin role’. The presence of this important California-born leader of Anglo-Saxon surname, but as Mexican as mole or tortilla, would have compensated Latinos for the frustration brought about by Alberto Gonzales – Anglo-Saxon of Hispanic surname – when he had to resign from Bush’s’ Department of Justice for politicizing the judiciary.

Regrettably, Richardson has just declined the office. An investigation of the possible award of two public contracts to a company that donated $110,000 to his political campaign convinced him that he should “step aside,” and also convinced Barack Obama that it would be embarrassing to start his administration with such a burden. So Obama accepted the decision with “great regret” and will soon announce a replacement.

It is a pity that the Latino interests and community image have to experience this new setback in the U.S. Richardson, because of his international connections, training and talent would have been a Secretary of Commerce capable of bringing together significant bargaining power with a genuine sense of fairness. He and his advisers have faith that in a few months he will be cleared of wrongdoing following the investigation. Similarly, such a delay would have posed an obstacle to his management of the office.

Anyway, the contrast with other countries where an investigation chains the official to his post instead of forcing him to resign is interesting. Doubt remains regarding sufficient Latino representation in an Obama government to whose election they contributed in a massive way. For now, it is limited to two Congress members of little international stature in the Cabinet: Secretary of Labor, Hilda Solis, and Secretary of the Interior, Ken Salazar. Both less distinguished than Richardson. Less than what Latinos aspire to have. Less than they deserve.

editorial@eltiempo.com.co