Panama’s ambassador to the U.S. speaks at W&J
Washington & Jefferson College hosted Panama’s ambassador to the United States, Jose Miguel Aleman Healy.
The ambassador’s appearance Friday, attended by students and the college community, was a collaborative effort of the Lynch Law Group and Washington Chamber of Commerce.
During his 45-minute presentation, Healy spoke about the important economic relationship Panama has cultivated with the United States as well as the special ties the country has with the city of Pittsburgh. He declined to address the current political climate in the United States.
“Panama has a lot of things they look up to here in Pittsburgh,” Aleman said. “One is our history, which is very common, and another is sports. There are a lot of Pittsburgh Steelers fans and Pittsburgh Pirates fans in Panama,” citing notable Pirates players of Panamanian descent including Manny Sanguillen, Omar Moreno and the late Rennie Stennett.
Aleman, whose father and brother held the same ambassador position, has a strong background in public service and was the founding partner of a law firm in Panama.
Aleman explained that the United States is Panama’s biggest trade partner, but reminded that Panama is the country with the highest trade deficit with the U.S.
“We have a 10-to-1 trade deficit in our commercial exchange,” he said. “We are a very small exporter because we’re a small country. Our wealth and economic prosperity comes from logistics more than anything else.
“The U.S. has been our historic partner since the 1850s through the canal years and on to today. The U.S. is the main investor into Panama. It’s a very, very, very important relationship, and we look forward to continuing it.”
A graduate of Ripon College in Wisconsin, Aleman shared his admiration for American colleges and universities and emphasized their importance leading to the country’s economic strength.
Addressing the students, he said, “Your generation stands at an important moment in history,” he said. “The challenges of a connected world demand forward thinking, cross cultural understanding and innovation. Panama extends itself to you, not just as a designation for tourism or business, but as a partner in sustaining a more connected and prosperous global community.”