Arturo Valenzuela: Looking Back to Look Ahead, Part II
Part Two of a Two Part Memorandum: Valenzuela Awaits Confirmation to Chief Latin America Position
Personal Background
Born in Chile to a Methodist pastor and an American missionary, Valenzuela first came to the United States as an exchange s tudent after an earthquake destroyed his high school. After completing secondary school, he attended Drew University for his undergraduate studies. From there he moved on to earn a Ph.D. in political science from Columbia University.
At Secretary of State Madeleine Albright’s recommendation, Valenzuela acted as an advisor to Michael Dukakis in his 1988 presidential campaign before being later nominated by President Bill Clinton to serve as a Deputy Assistant Secretary for Inter-American Affairs, at least in part as a result of his reputation for having extensive knowledge of Mexican affairs. Dr. Valenzuela then served as the head of the National Security Council’s Hemispheric Section until he returned to his position as the Director of the Center for Latin American Studies at Georgetown University. While Valenzuela initially acted as a campaign adviser to now-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton during her presidential-primary campaign, Obama added him to his own foreign policy team last November. The hope among Latin Americanists throughout the country is that Valenzuela’s academic expertise in hemispheric issues and his broad diplomatic experience acquired during the Clinton presidency will dramatically contrast with the predatory Bush-era ideologues Roger Noriega and Otto Reich, who, without exception, were held in low-esteem by their Latin American counterparts for their arrogance and dismissive attitude toward the region and many of its leaders.
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This analysis was prepared by COHA Research Associate Natalie Pullen with COHA Research Associate William Mathis
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