H.E. Nestor Mendez is the newly elected deputy Secretary General of the Organization of American States. He was elected with a 24-10 margin giving him what Mendez says is a significant mandate. Mendez will hold tenure for five years from July 13 2015 to July 2020.
On Wednesday April 15 he appeared on Wave Radio’s ‘Fus ting da mawnin’ where he told the hosts Joe Bradley and Alfonso Noble as much. During the course of the half hour interview Mendez explained that the entire process of getting him elected started in March 2013. During that process the campaign had to convince the membership that Belize has a role to play in the organization and convincing the member states that Belize has a better candidate to offer. At the end of the day Mendez explained that he received a strong mandate where the membership expects him to be a manager for the implementation and offer guidance in the organization to implement what the membership has decided on.
Asked what role he will play in the Belize-Guatemala negotiations, he explained that the Secretary General is yet to determine that but “I can assure everyone that I will treat this issue with the highest degree of professionalism, seriousness and respect that this matter deserves.” As for now however he was quick to point out that he does not know what role he will be assigned at the OAS but explained that the current Sec. Gen. has expressed that his role will be one of more being a co-secretary general than a deputy.
Speaking of his experience so far, H.E. Mendez explained that it has been a humbling experience and he has been overwhelmed by the outpouring of support from the Belizean people at all levels. He added that the support from the office of the Prime Minister and the foreign ministry have been invaluable.
In taking time to address younger Belizeans, he noted that he has been surprised by the interest that they now have in his career path and advises that if “you want to do something go for it- believe that you can do it, anything is possible in a country like Belize.”
