The new U.S Ambassador to Mexico Carlos Pascual says he will closely follow the moves being made to introduce a demonstration project for Medicare in Mexico.
In his first interview with media representatives in Mexico, Pascual met with a half-dozen Guadalajara based newspaper editors and reporters.
Asked by the Reporter if he could ever envision the Obama administration openly backing such a project, Pascual cautiously replied, “it is something we are going to continue to study.”
Pascual said Obama’s domestic focus is currently on health care “more than any other issue,” although he acknowledged this was limited to “legislation inside the United States.”
Speaking in Spanish, Pascual said one of the “interesting things” about allowing Medicare recipients to receive health care in Mexico is that it could also bring benefits to this country. “If it could save money as well, then they would be criteria that would be a good reason for continuing to explore the idea,” he said.
Pascual answered critics who accused the recent North American Leaders Summit in Guadalajara of failing to produce concrete results. He said one of the important parts of the face-to-face encounter was seeing how the leaders related to each other, because “this provides a tremendous base to confront the work that we have ahead of us.”
Pascual, who was ratified as ambassador by the U.S. Senate a day before Obama traveled to Guadalajara, has spent 23 years in U.S. government circles, working in both the National Security Council and U.S. Agency for International Development. He was ambassador to Ukraine from 2000 until 2003 and later was coordinator for reconstruction and stabilization in the State Department, dealing with societies destabilized by civil strife and conflict. Through his work, Pascual has earned a reputation as an expert in “failed states.”
Far from being a failed state, Pascual said, “Mexico should be one of the greatest countries in the world that is helping lead the international political community.”
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He continued: “Mexico has the population, the scale of economy and a close relationship with the United States. It is a country of consequence in critical areas such as energy and could play an important role in areas that will face the world such as climate change.
“It is not a failed state. It is part of the solution and can provide leadership that is needed for our future.”
Pascual also paid a courtesy call on Jalisco Governor Emilio Gonzalez, who later revealed the pair had discussed U.S. investment in the state, specifically in the area of health technology, and the September opening of a Casa Jalisco (trade and cultural) office in Chicago.
Gonzalez also revealed that he asked Pascual why the United States was keen to hold the North American Summit in Guadalajara. He said the ambassador told him it was due to the high level of security found here.
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