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The Mexican president's anger at the ambassador has led to speculation that there may be more to the problem than WikiLeaks. Many have speculated that Pascual, a Cuban-American career diplomat who was appointed in 2009, made a faux pas with his choice of a girlfriend: the daughter of Francisco Rojas, the congressional leader of the opposition Institutional Revolutionary Party. "While there has been an outcry, very few other governments have moved into a personal level about the writer of the leaked cables," O'Neil said. Whatever the reasons, it became increasingly clear that Pascual could no longer do his job effectively. Even opposition politicians criticized Pascual for trampling on Mexico's dignity, not so surprising for a country of immense national pride and determination to stand up to its powerful northern neighbor. "In Mexico, the government, Congress, the armed forces and public opinion are all very sensitive about the opinions of the United States," said Sen. Carlos Navarette of the leftist Democratic Revolution Party. "I hope the next ambassador learns the lesson and behaves diplomatically and respectfully toward Mexico." Sen. Silvio Aureoles, of the same party, told the AP that "relations between the Senate and the ambassador froze completely," but he acknowledged that he believed "the immense majority of what Pascual said was true." "There is a saying in Mexico: 'Truth doesn't sin, but it does hurt,'" Aureoles said. The U.S. government -- as with the Libyan ambassador -- had made clear it believed Pascual did nothing wrong, insisting until last week there were no plans to remove him. In her statement announcing Pascual's departure, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said twice that it was with "great reluctance" that his resignation was accepted. So far, Pascual's resignation has caused little public reaction in Washington, overshadowed by the upheaval in the Middle East. But that could change during Senate confirmation hearings for a new ambassador, experts said.
"It's likely that if the Obama administration tries to appoint another ambassador, it could generate a national backlash in the U.S. over why Ambassador Pascual had to resign in the first place," Selee said. "The Obama administration may feel the relationship with Mexico is so strategic that they are willing to overlook some of the rough edges that exist. But for the U.S. Congress, I suspect they will ... be concerned that they are ceding to pressure from the Mexican government."
[Associated
Press;
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