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Former U.S. Ambassador Charles S. Shapiro Sees New Trade Opportunities in the Americas

Wednesday, 23 November 2011
Contact: Ronald W. Powell (619) 400-4789

Charles S. Shapiro, a former U.S. diplomat and Ambassador to Venezuela, wants to focus on trade in his new job as president of the nonprofit Institute of the Americas.

In a recent meeting with Port of San Diego leaders, Shapiro said the trade focus should be on Mexico and other Latin American countries. Port officials have decided to work informally with the Institute for the Americas to seek new trading partners in Latin America.

• Learn more about the Port of San Diego's Maritime Business

"A lot of people may not realize this, but Brazil will soon pass the United Kingdom and become the sixth largest economy in the world, and half of its population is middle class," said Shapiro during a meeting on Monday, November 21, with Board of Port Commissioners Chairman Scott Peters, Port District President and CEO Wayne Darbeau and other Port of San Diego executives.

The more than 25-year-old Institute of the Americas advocates for U.S., Canadian and Latin American cooperation that encourages investment and information sharing.

The institute's offices are on the campus of the University of California San Diego. Shapiro became president of the institute on Oct. 3, 2011, and quickly set his sights on trade with Latin America.

"I want to establish a trade program at the institute," he said. "There is (business) opportunity out there in this hemisphere."

The Port of San Diego already imports bananas and other fruit from Ecuador, Peru, Costa Rica and Guatemala. The Port District also imports energy-producing windmill towers and blades from Brazil.

The Port of San Diego was created by state legislature in 1962 and is responsible for $1.7 billion in public improvements in its five member cities: Imperial Beach, Coronado, Chula Vista, National City and San Diego.

The Port District oversees two maritime cargo terminals, two cruise ship terminals, 17 public parks, the Harbor Police Department and the leases of more than 600 tenant and sub tenant businesses around San Diego Bay.