Carmen Yulín Cruz and Eduardo Bhatia discuss possible positions in Joe Biden’s government

San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulín Cruz Soto and Senator Eduardo Bhatia Gautier were recommended to be part of the new administration of President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris for the position of US ambassadors to Latin American countries , according to a source. from the federal capital.

Cruz Soto confirmed The new day that “that possibility has been explored,” although he added that this is not the only conversation he has had about his political future. He emphasized that there is no offer from the incoming administration and that it is rather “an open conversation”.

Bhatia Gautier, for his part, indicated that “there are many serious people who are researching” public policy positions regarding federal agencies and entities to form Biden’s government, but “it is too early to say that (on ) to (talk) “, because nobody is there yet. offer formal employment, except for the highest cabinet posts. “Several people have spoken to me because I have a lot of friends in the administration. Not only have we talked about myself, but also recommendations about other people, but what’s going to happen in the next six months? I don’t know and there is nothing concrete”, Responded Bhatia in a short interview with this medium.

The popular senator added that he does not foresee that the positions for the Latin American embassies will be filled in the first year of government.

“They are talks about the public agenda and the president’s agenda on home affairs. Everything has been discussed, but nothing concrete, ” added Bhatia Gautier, who has chaired America’s Parliamentary Confederation since 2018.

Regarding the United States’ foreign relations with Latin America, Cruz Soto emphasized that the new administration of Biden and Harris has the ability to address border issues such as migration from a humanist perspective through educational programs and economic aid. “I have not received an offer, but as far as I can work together to create these alliances, (I will),” added the mayor whose municipality is transitioning the government.

The United States has embassies in Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, the Dominican Republic, Uruguay, and Venezuela.

Both Cruz Soto and Bhatia Gautier have developed strong links with the US Democratic Party. Bhatia Gautier’s relationships date back to when she headed the Puerto Rico Federal Affairs Administration (PRFAA) from 2005 to 2008 under the administration of Aníbal Acevedo Vilá. Later as a senator, he maintained relations with Barack Obama’s Democratic administration, most notably White House Task Force co-chair Tony West, who is today Vice President Kamala Harris’s brother-in-law.

Meanwhile, Mayor Cruz Soto strengthened her relations in the Democratic Party following the devastation caused by Hurricane Maria, as she rose to prominence in the United States’ national media for criticizing the Donald Trump administration and claiming that Puerto Ricans were dying. . . So much so that Biden’s top contender, Senator Bernie Sanders, named her campaign chairman along with two other congressmen.

During the PPD primaries, Cruz Soto had the support of Sanders, his campaign co-chairmen – California Congressman Ro Khanna and Senator Nina Turner of Ohio – House Natural Resources Committee Chair Raúl Grijalva, and the Chair of that National Security Commission. body, Bennie Thompson. Senator Elizabeth Warren, another former candidate for the presidential election, also supported her in the primaries.

In government transitions, people close to the incoming government list qualified candidates for cabinet positions recommended by the elected president’s political allies or strategic alliances, as his previous opponents in the presidential run for the match.

Maricarmen Aponte represented the United States in El Salvador through the appointment of former President Barack Obama, while Carmen Cantor was appointed ambassador to the Federated States of Micronesia this year by Donald Trump. In all, there were 12 US ambassadors of Puerto Rican descent.

A future at the academy

Cruz Soto told this newspaper that, in addition to the “open discussion” with the new government, he has received five offers from academic organizations, as well as approaches from human rights organizations and nonprofits committed to increasing women’s political participation. in the United States. In a press conference today, Tuesday, the mayor added that she has already taken a job at a Massachusetts university she preferred to leave out the name to write a book and “attract renowned politicians and activists.”

Likewise, Bhatia Gautier told this newspaper that he is considering the possibility of developing public policy from within the academy, at some university in the eastern United States.