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The new US Ambassador Vinai Thummalapally arrived in Belize this morning. 54 year old Thummalapally is the first Indian-American ambassador in US diplomatic history and the Colorado resident is also US President Barack Obama’s old college room-mate. Interesting, because the last us Ambassador to Belize Robert Dieter - also a Colorado resident - was former president George Bush’s old college room-mate. But Thummalapally brings a different style to the post and perhaps indicative of the open-ness and media-readiness associated with the Obama administration, for the first time that we can recall, the media was invited to the airport to cover his arrival.

Now, there was no interview because Thummalapally has not yet presented his credentials to the Governor General, so he’s still only the Ambassador designate. But he sure enough spoke on behalf of Uncle Sam when he gave brief remarks today.

Vinai Thummalapally, US Ambassador Designate
“It is real honour that President Barack Obama has selected me to be the new US Ambassador to Belize. It is also an honour that the US Congress supported that decision and I look forward to presenting my credentials to the Governor General here in Belize during this week. Belize and the United States have had a wonderful relationship, a strong bilateral relationship and during my tenure, I look forward to working with all Belizeans to further strengthen those ties in democracy, prosperity, and peace and I am just delighted to be here. My wife and I have just traveled from Washington DC coming through Miami and what a wonderful day here; nice to be here. Thank you very much.”

Thummalapally will present his credentials later this week – and we are told will grant interviews sometime after that.