Strong Praise for Carlos Gutierrez

Latin Business Chronicle
January 28, 2009

As the Obama Administration is still trying to find a Secretary of Commerce, the previous one receives high marks from business leaders dealing with Latin America.

"There has been no better champion for the hemisphere than Secretary [Carlos] Gutierrez," says Adrean Rothkopf. AACCLA worked closely with Gutierrez on the campaign for approval by the U.S. Congress of CAFTA-DR and the U.S.-Peru Trade Promotion Agreement. “In both cases he was one of the heroes who carried the day,” Rothkopf says.

MONUMENTAL ROLE

Eric Farnsworth, vice president of the Council of the Americas, agrees. “It is no exaggeration to say that Carlos Gutierrez played a monumental role in advancing relations with the hemisphere during his time as Secretary of Commerce," he says. "From efforts to expand trade and investment, build North American competitiveness, and forge peaceful changes in Cuba, Secretary Gutierrez in many ways took the lead on U.S. policy efforts in the region during much of President Bush’s second term."...

...Although Gutierrez, 55, is no longer a public servant, many of his admirers hope he will continue focusing on Latin America.

"The people of the United States are better for his service, and my only hope is that he remains very active in the region even as he begins his next chapter in life,” Farnsworth says.

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