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SouthComm’s Jean Manes must not become Ambassador to Colombia
The Biden administration’s nomination of Jean Elizabeth Manes for the next US ambassador to Colombia is something that supporters of peace, sovereignty, and self-determination should oppose. Manes comes straight out of the Pentagon’s Southern Command, where she currently serves as Civilian Deputy and Foreign Policy Advisor to SouthComm Commander General Laura J. Richardson. The ambassador to Colombia should be an ambassador for peace, not an agent of US militarism. The nomination has been sent to the Senate, where it will be referred to the Foreign Relations Committee for hearings before coming to the floor for debate and a final vote. Help stop this nomination by acting early in this process to let your Senator and the White House know that this nomination is not acceptable.
Please send the following letter to the White House and your senator:
I write to express my opposition to the nomination of Jean Elizabeth Manes as the next US ambassador to Colombia. The next ambassador to Colombia should be someone who is well-versed in conflict resolution and the pursuit of peace, especially during this time that Colombia is working to establish a Total Peace Plan. Manes currently serves as the Civilian Deputy and Foreign Policy Advisor to SouthComm Commander General Laura J. Richardson. When she was ambassador to El Salvador, Manes quit her position and returned to SouthComm in frustration after saying El Salvador had “no interest” in better relations with the US. This did not prevent another ambassador from taking her pace. Colombia is a nation that is finding its way towards peace through a complex web of social conflicts, including multiple armed groups engaging in violence on an array of fronts. The next ambassador should also be someone who understands the need for normal relations between the sister countries of Colombia and Venezuela, rather than someone whose experience is in advising blockades and military strategies towards Venezuela. The next ambassador will need patience and skill to advocate for peace. Manes is skilled in conflict and impatience. That is not what the US or Colombian people need.