[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 125 (Tuesday, July 22, 2025)]
[Senate]
[Page S4525]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       REMEMBERING LINO GUTIERREZ

  Mr. KAINE. Mr. President, I would like to recognize the remarkable 
life and career of Ambassador Lino Gutierrez, a dedicated public 
servant whose decades of diplomacy helped shape U.S. engagement across 
the Western Hemisphere. He passed away on May 3, 2025, leaving behind a 
legacy defined by service and impact.
  Born in Havana, Cuba, Ambassador Gutierrez came to the United States 
as a young boy, fleeing Castro's regime and beginning a journey that 
would see him rise to some of the highest ranks of American diplomacy. 
Gutierrez served in the Foreign Service under five Presidents and 11 
Secretaries of State, including as U.S. Ambassador to both Nicaragua 
and Argentina.
  In those roles, Ambassador Gutierrez led and oversaw a number of 
significant achievements. During his tenure as U.S. Ambassador to 
Argentina, the United States and Argentina signed agreements on 
counterterrorism and counternarcotics cooperation and container 
security. As Acting Assistant Secretary for Western Hemisphere Affairs, 
Gutierrez led the Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs on September 11, 
2001, and beyond. He accompanied Secretary of State Colin Powell to 
Lima, Peru, for the signing of the Inter-American Democratic Charter 
and returned with the Secretary's party to the United States on 
September 11, 2001. During his tenure in Nicaragua, Gutierrez oversaw 
efforts to demobilize and reintegrate the Contra fighters into civil 
society, strengthen the country's newly established democratic 
government after years of authoritarian rule, and coordinated the U.S. 
relief effort following the deadly devastation of Hurricane Mitch.
  After retiring from the State Department, Ambassador Gutierrez 
remained deeply committed to strengthening the Foreign Service. As 
executive director of the Una Chapman Cox Foundation, he championed 
initiatives to enhance recruitment, professional development, and 
public understanding of diplomacy. He also taught as an adjunct 
professor at Johns Hopkins and George Washington Universities, served 
on the board of Georgetown's Institute for the Study of Diplomacy, was 
appointed by Secretary of State John Kerry to the Foreign Service 
Grievance Board, and provided expert guidance to DACOR on fostering 
strong U.S.-Latin America relations. Through these endeavors, 
Ambassador Gutierrez leaves behind a remarkable legacy which will 
continue to shape the next generation of U.S. diplomatic and foreign 
policy leaders.
  Ambassador Gutierrez embodied the American ideal of public service. I 
extend my deepest condolences to his wife Miriam, their three 
daughters, and six grandchildren. May his example continue to inspire 
all who believe in diplomacy as a force for peace, security, and 
opportunity.

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