HHS Secretary Represents the United States at the Inauguration of the New President of Guatemala

January 14, 2008 – Members of the Presidential Delegation to the Inauguration of the Honorable Álvaro Colóm as President of Guatemala. From left to right: U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Michael O Leavitt; the Honorable Rob Mosbacher, President of the Overseas Private Investment Corporation; the Honorable Sara Martínez Tucker, Under Secretary of Education; and the Honorable Christopher A. Padilla, Under Secretary of Commerce for International Trade.

January 14, 2008 – President George W. Bush designated the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), the Honorable Michael O. Leavitt, to lead a Presidential Delegation to Guatemala City, Guatemala, to attend the inauguration today of the Honorable Álvaro Colóm as President of the Republic of Guatemala. Joining Secretary Leavitt on the U.S. Delegation to the Colóm inauguration, were the Honorable James M. Derham, U.S. Ambassador to Guatemala; the Honorable Rob Mosbacher, President of the Overseas Private Investment Corporation; the Honorable Sara Martínez Tucker, Under Secretary of Education; and the Honorable Christopher A. Padilla, Under Secretary of Commerce for International Trade.

While in Guatemala City, Secretary Leavitt met with President Colóm, Vice President Rafael Espada and members of their incoming Cabinet, including new Minister of Public Health and Social Assistance Eusebio del Cid, M.D. The Secretary and the U.S. Delegation also held meetings with the leaders of other Delegations from the Americas who attended the inaugural ceremonies, including the Presidents of Honduras, El Salvador, Panamá and Nicaragua, and the Secretary of Health of México, to discuss regional cooperation around the training of health-care workers and the safety of food and drugs.

This was Secretary Leavitt's second trip to Guatemala and his seventh trip to Latin America during his time at HHS.

For more information:

• Photo Gallery of HHS Secretary Michael O. Leavitt's trip to the Inauguration of the President of Guatemala
• Secretary Leavitt blogs from Guatemala on the presidential inauguration

Last revised: April 07, 2008