Diplomatic Connections: How did you decide to become a diplomat?
Ambassador Hevia: I really liked to travel when I was young. I remember I went twice to Ireland to study English during the summer. And then I came to the United States in 1976 to spend two months in Bethesda, not very far away from where I live now. Then I went to Italy. I was very interested in studying languages. I realized that it was wonderful to learn to speak a foreign language both to establish friendships and to gain real insights into cultures other than my own. That’s why, after studying law, I decided to join the diplomatic service. Diplomatic Connections: Your Doctor of Laws degree is from part of what is sometimes called the Pontifical Athenaeum, the collection of universities that are part of the Vatican. Why did you choose to study there? What is different about studying in that context? Ambassador Hevia: When I was sent to Rome to work with the Spanish Embassy to the Holy See, I was offered the chance to attend lectures on canon law at St. Thomas Aquinas University, part of Angellicum University there. I actually attended the university at the same time that I was assigned to diplomatic duties at the Holy See. It was a wonderful opportunity to broaden my study of law with a parallel education in canon law. Diplomatic Connections: It is not always understood that the Vatican is a state in its own right and that the Vatican has diplomats around the world. What is it like being part of an embassy to the Holy See? Ambassador Hevia: When you work in the Embassy to the Holy See, you’re monitoring the actions and statements of the Pope and of the Roman Curia as they impact your own country and as they respond to unfolding global events. The church does play a political role in many issues, some of them local but many of them with far-reaching international implications. The church touches on everything from nuclear disarmament and the rules of war to poverty and international development. Diplomatic Connections: Obviously, you have a deep interest in religion, and you’ve served as a diplomat to the Holy See. How does that religious background influence your diplomatic life? Ambassador Hevia: My religious background influences all aspects of my life. I am a career diplomat and I try to be very, very professional. I keep my personal beliefs to myself. 48
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But, I am a religious person, and I try to offer God my dayto-day life and work. Beyond that, knowing the work of the church in the past and the presence of the church throughout the world, studying and understanding the point of view of Catholic diplomacy, and having strong ties to intelligent church officials from the Vatican have been very useful in my career.
Diplomatic Connections: How is it different working within the boundaries of a multilateral organization like the OAS as opposed to representing your country in bilateral relations? Ambassador Hevia: In a multilateral organization, you don’t have a country and a single government to work with. Your country is the organization and its secretariat. That’s why the Secretary-General is the functional equivalent of the president of my “state,” in this case the OAS. The high officials of the organization are the ones with whom you work every day. Those are your ministers. Your goal is to pay attention to all the meetings and working groups that go on. There are many nuances because very often it seems that nothing new is happening. You have to immerse yourself and your staff in the organization in order to see everything that is happening behind the scenes. Then, also, there are economic ties. We provide funding directly to the organization and to several of its related groups, and that creates a great deal of work as well. Diplomatic Connections: Why is Spain so deeply involved in the Organization of American States? What makes the OAS important enough to merit Spain’s continuous attention? Ambassador Hevia: We can talk about three pillars that make up the core of the OAS. There is the Latin American group, which is very important to us given our history in the region. That group is essential in our foreign policy. Then you have the Caribbean countries. We want to have stronger ties with them. Then you have the northern pillar with Canada and the United States. The OAS, with its strong tradition in Latin American affairs, is very important to us. It is clear that the agenda deals with many issues that are of deep and on-going concern to Spain. We have a commitment to build an Ibero-American community. We believe that we play a useful role, and it is very, very useful for us to be here. Diplomatic Connections: What does it mean to be a “permanent observer” at the Organization of American States? What role does Spain — which is the leading observer state in many ways — play in the diplomatic life and work of the OAS? Ambassador Hevia: In fact, there are 68 observer states