We also learnt that today’s conversation with Ambassador Carlos Moreno might be one of the last we have with him. That’s because sometime early next year, he will be leaving Belize, his term ending the same time President Obama’s does. The next US President will appoint a new ambassador which will have to be approved by the US Senate.
As viewers are aware, the US election coming to a feverish pitch right now with less than a month to go, So Moreno, like the rest of that country’s electorate, it just watching the clock run out on President Barack Obama’s final term in office.
We asked Moreno to comment on what could be his first and only stint as a diplomat:
H.E. Carlos Moreno - Us Ambassador to Belize
"I serve at the pleasure and under President Obama. So when he leaves office my turn ends. Now whether it ends at the same time it's a matter of negotiation. The new president will have the privelage of appointing a replacement ambassador to Belize, that may take a period of several months depending on the relationship between the new president and which political party controls the United States Senate."
Daniel Ortiz
"Now sir if this would mean the end your stay in Belize would you share with us your perspective being here, working here, meeting the Belizean people?"
H.E. Carlos Moreno - Us Ambassador to Belize
"Well it's been a thoroughly exciting and interesting opportunity for me. I think the fact that I came here trained as a judge helped in many many respects. Overall I've had a wonderful experience meeting the people of Belize, learning more about its culture."
Daniel Ortiz
"There tends time to time at the citizenry level to be a level of suspicion of the US government where it's like - oh you all are just furthering your agenda for security by using Belize and other countries surrounding. Has that been an impediment in anyway? And have you experienced that personally?"
H.E. Carlos Moreno - Us Ambassador to Belize
"You know aside from a few isolated comments I've read about, I think the partnership here is a very fine equal one and we're not trying to favour one country over the other, that's one thing I've heard; there's absolutely no basis for that. And yes we are interested in the protecting security of the United States but at the same time we're interested in protecting Belizeans national security. So I think I would say our interests are mutual. I know that Americans love to come to Belize on vacation and experiencing the Belizean culture. There are many Belizeans who travel to the United States and have relatives there and many US citizens come down here to live. So I think the relationship between our two countries in unique."
The new president will take office on January 20, 2017. Ambassador Moreno tells us that his exit from the US Embassy in Belize may take place at that date, or a litte after that. Moreno, a former US Judge, was appointed in May of 2014.
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