‘Judge me by my actions’: New Ambassador responds to concerns over U.S. Embassy influence in Belize

By Breaking Belize News Staff: New United States Ambassador André Bauer says Belizeans should judge him and the U.S. Embassy by their actions after he was questioned about perceptions that Washington sometimes acts as a disciplinary or oversight force over Belizean public officials.

Bauer was questioned Friday about the U.S. Embassy’s role in governance, including the perception among some Belizeans that U.S. visa restrictions, revocations and other diplomatic measures can be used to exert pressure on elected and government officials.

“Everybody… we all have opinions and different perspectives based on life experiences,” Bauer responded.

He said most people he has spoken with appear comfortable with the relationship between Belize and the United States but acknowledged that others may see it differently.

“They’ll be able to judge me by my actions and the actions of what the United States tries to do to work together,” Bauer said.

Pressed specifically on what oversight role he believes the United States should play in Belizean governance, Bauer said he did not have a direct answer.

Instead, he described diplomacy as a process through which countries discuss both shared interests and areas of disagreement.

“We have certain things that are important to our country, and you have certain things that are important in your country,” Bauer said.

He suggested informal and formal engagement with Belizean leaders could help each side better understand the other’s position.

“If leaders in your country break bread with me or we spend time together, I think we’ll get a mutual understanding of places that maybe we don’t agree, and places that we do agree,” he said.

Bauer said he intends to take that approach beyond government officials and meet ordinary Belizeans around the country.

“We don’t have to agree,” he said, adding that a well-made argument has changed his own mind in the past.

Bauer said his objective is for Belizeans to ultimately feel better about the bilateral relationship and see the United States as a partner rather than simply an outside power exercising influence over the country.

The post ‘Judge me by my actions’: New Ambassador responds to concerns over U.S. Embassy influence in Belize appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.