Hispanics Insist Ambassador Otto Reich Deserves Fair Hearing

Washington, D.C.--As America embarks on a long-term war against international terrorism, it is essential that President Bush have his foreign policy team in place. Unfortunately, one Democratic senator is still fighting the Cold War and is settling old ideological scores by blocking Senate action on a key State Department nominee.  Hispanics across the country urge the Senate to take action and confirm Ambassador Otto Reich.

Ambassador Otto Reich is particularly well-qualified to be Assistant Secretary of Sate for Western Hemispheric Affairs.   He has a long and distinguished tenure as a diplomat.  During the 1980's, Reich was a key player in the Reagan administration's efforts to fight the spread of communism in Central America. Reich served as Latin America director of the Agency for International Development, and later headed the Office of Public Diplomacy in the State Department.  In 1986, Reich was appointed ambassador to Venezuela.

Reich's father fled to Cuba from Austria in 1939 to escape Hitler's persecution of the Jews (Reich's grandparents perished in the Holocaust).  Sensing the onset of another totalitarian regime following the triumph of Castro's communist revolution in 1959, Walter Reich ran again, this time to the United States, with his family in tow.  Otto Reich was only 14. 

Ambassador Reich was nominated on July 12 to be Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemispheric Affairs. The Senate Foreign Relations Committee has not scheduled a confirmation hearing for Reich, and has no plans to do so. The reasons have nothing to do with Reich's competence or qualifications, and everything to do with Senator Chris Dodd's (D-CT) efforts to block Reich's confirmation.

"There is nothing wrong with having a vigorous debate about the future of U.S. foreign relations, but the confirmation process is not the place for it," said Massey Villarreal, Chairman of the Republican National Hispanic Assembly (RNHA).   "Unless there is a question about a nominee's competence or qualifications, the Senate should respect the nomination process and give Ambassador Otto Reich a quick and fair hearing."

The RNHA is the nation's premiere Hispanic Republican organization.  With 18 chapters across the country and a membership base of over 4000, RNHA advances the principles and values of the Republican Party in the Hispanic Community.  RNHA also plays a leading role in educating and developing leaders in Hispanic Communities nationwide.  For more information, please contact Marta R. Metelko at 202-544-6700 or by e-mail at metelko@rnha.org.