Gabriel Guerra-Mondragón

Infobox Ambassador
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name = Gabriel Guerra-Mondragón
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ambassador_from = United States
country = Chile
term_start = 1994
term_end = 1998
predecessor = Curtis Warren Kamman
successor = John O'Leary
president = Bill Clinton
birth_date = birth date and age|1942|9|4|
birth_place = San Juan, Puerto Rico
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nationality = United States
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alma_mater = Fordham University,
Johns Hopkins University,
University of Puerto Rico
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profession = diplomatic corps
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Gabriel Guerra-Mondragón (born September 4, 1942 in San Juan, Puerto Rico) was the United States Ambassador to Chile from 1994-1998. Nominated by President Bill Clinton in July 1994, and was confirmed by the United States Senate on October 4 of that year. He was administered the oath of office by Vice President Albert Gore on October 25, 1994 and arrived in Santiago on November 8, 1994 to present his credentials to Chilean President Eduardo Frei Ruiz-Tagle.

As the ambassador to Chile, Gabriel Guerra-Mondragón angered many right-wing Chilean leaders by defending the U.S. ban on the export of advanced weapons to Chile, which has been in effect since the dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet Ugarte (1973-1990). The Chilean constitution of 1980, the ambassador maintained, prevents the president from removing the military commanders in chief and thus does not allow full civilian control of the Chilean armed forces. Many of Pinochet's supporters in the Chilean parliament were infuriated by these remarks, however left-wing politicians and other Pinochet opponents considered that the ambassador had merely spoken the truth. [ [http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9113760?hook=580920 Britannica Online Encyclopedia: Chile] ]

An alumnus of Fordham University; the School of Advanced International Studies of Johns Hopkins University; and the University of Puerto Rico School of Law, Guerra-Mondragón has an extensive knowledge and background in the field of international relations and is fluent in Spanish and English.

He joined the Foreign Service of the United States in 1976. His assignments included as a Foreign Service Officer included Nicaragua Desk Officer in the United States Department of State in 1977; Executive Director, US National Commission for UNESCO from 1977-1979; Staff Assistant in the Office of the Secretary of State from 1979-1980; Special Assistant to the Ambassador and then Political Officer at the US Embassy in Mexico City from 1980-1983; and Colombia Desk Officer in the Department of State from 1983-1984.

In 1984, Ambassador Guerra-Mondragón was assigned on a detail from the Department of State as Deputy Program Director for Latin America and the Caribbean of the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs in Washington, DC, where he served until 1986. In that year, he became President of TKC International Incorporated in Washington, D.C.. In 1994, he was appointed by President Clinton as a Commissioner of the American Battle Monuments Commission in Washington, DC.

In addition to his foreign service experience, Ambassador Guerra-Mondragón is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations; a former member of the Puerto Rican Legal and Education Defense Fund; and a member of the Puerto Rico Bar Association.

He is the grandson of Miguel Guerra Mondragón, who was a very well-known local attorney and politician.

Gabriel Guerra-Mondragón later was a "Hillraiser" for the Hillary Clinton presidential campaign, but later joined the finance committee of the Barack Obama campaign. [ [http://blog.washingtonpost.com/the-trail/2008/04/25/a_hillary_fundraiser_jumps_shi.html A Hillary Fundraiser Jumps Ship] , Matthew Mosk, "Washington Post", April 25, 2008] [ [http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/04/25/major-clinton-fundraiser-switches-to-obama/ Major Clinton fundraiser switches to Obama] , "CNN: Political Ticker", April 25, 2008] [ [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/04/25/AR2008042503707.html Party Fears Racial Divide] , Jonathan Weisman and Matthew Mosk, "Washington Post", April 26, 2008] Guerra-Mondragon's action did not make the headlines like Governor Bill Richardson's endorsement of Obama; nevertheless, the blogs were relentless on attacking him and label him as a conspirator, a traitor- jumping the ship when he felt Mrs. Clinton was losing the primary election, instead of leaving months earlier when he claims he was disillusioned with the campaign in South Carolina and its racial tone.

References

External links

* [http://www.americanambassadors.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=Members.view&memberid=105 Official biography on the Council of American Ambassadors official website]
* [http://www.mediacast.com/Calendar/96-05-08/Chile/ Article on U.S.-Chilean relations by Ambassador Guerra-Mondragón]
* [http://clinton6.nara.gov/1994/07/1994-07-11-president-names-guerra-mondragon-ambassador-to-chile.html Official announcement of Ambassador Guerra-Mondragón's nomination by then President Bill Clinton]

succession box
title = United States Ambassador to Chile
before = Curtis Warren Kamman
after = John O'Leary (ambassador)
years = 24 November 1994–13 June 1998