Edward Clancy Contreras, a Stanford Law School graduate born in Mexico City and raised in San Diego who is active in many San Miguel organizations, is the new Acting Consular Agent for San Miguel de Allende. Clancy looks forward to the opportunity "to help US citizens who find themselves in trouble. That is the essence of the job of a consular agent-to be there to help Americans who suddenly are in situations beyond their control.

The US consulate was a major source of assistance to US citizens stranded in Cancún during last year's hurricanes, for example." The office handles far more than notarizing financial statements for FM3 and FM2 renewals.

Other examples of crises in which a consular agent can become involved are deaths of US citizens who left no instructions for their burial and estates, runaway children, custody disputes across borders and Americans who break Mexican laws.

"Many do not understand the profound differences between the two countries' legal systems, unless they're from Louisiana, which also is based on the Napoleonic Code," Clancy said. "Mexican defamation laws are also quite different from US libel laws."

Part of his responsibilities will be to periodically visit every US citizen in this area who is in a Mexican jail. The United States has 13 agencies and 10 consulates in Mexico, the largest US presence in any country. "This agency is actually the closest for expats living in the southern part of San Luis Potosí and the northern part of Michoacán. We cover far more than just San Miguel and the state of Guanajuato."

Clancy was a finance lawyer for a large San Francisco-based law firm, an investment banker in New York City and chief financial officer for two privately held enterprises in Kansas City. Because he was born in Mexico, his appointment has to be approved by the Mexican government as well as the US government.

He and his wife, Sarah, and two children, Elena, 10, and Julien, 12, moved to San Miguel five years ago from Kansas City. Both are involved with the San Miguel Educational Cooperative in Los Frailes attended by the Clancy children. Clancy has been teaching math, world history and logic but will cut back on his teaching now. He will continue, however, as president of the San Miguel Chamber Music Festival.

When his children enrolled in the Suzuki music program to learn violin, Clancy enrolled to learn violin, too, and can be seen playing in the back row at some of their performances. His wife also enrolled to learn the cello. Sarah's primary community activity is the San Miguel Garden Club.

"The consular agent is actually a part-time position," Clancy noted. "The embassy expects the agent will spend about 15 hours a week in the office and about the same amount of time outside the office on emergencies."

He will soon have a cell phone number that can be called 24/7, but hopes that people will use the number only for real emergencies. "If someone loses their passport Sunday night, I can't do anything to help them until the next day.

"Of course, if you're at the airport and your plane is about to depart and your passport has been stolen, that's an immediate emergency." He hopes people will understand what constitutes a real emergency and handle most problems during regular business hours.

The US Consulate, which is across from Bellas Artes at Hernández Macías 72 Int. 6, is open 9am to 1pm Monday through Friday under his assistant, Leticia Cerritos. He expects to be in the office 10am to 1pm, Monday through Friday. 

"Leticia can handle a great many questions on her own. People should feel free to ask her directly rather than stand in line for hours to pick up a piece of paper," Clancy said.

The office is primarily geared to help US citizens, both residents and vacationers, but "we provide some assistance to Mexican citizens as well," Clancy said. "Many think we give out US visas, which we don't, but we can give instructions and aim people in the right direction."

Two questions that most often come up about the consulate are whether prescription drugs can be shipped there once again, and whether there will ever be a pilot Medicare program in Mexico that will cover expats.

"No other consulate in Mexico accepts prescription drugs mailed to their offices," he said. "This hasn't been possible for a very long time, and I don't expect that it will be started in San Miguel again."

"The idea of having a package shipped to the consulate office when we have no knowledge of the contents and it is destined for someone else, presents security issues," Clancy said. "I wouldn't expect this program to be reinstated."

Clancy sees his new job as being more of a social worker than a bureaucrat and is looking forward to helping US citizens no matter what kind of crises they encounter-hopefully during business hours.

Carol Schmidt, a former newspaper and magazine writer and editor, operates www.fallinginlovewithsanmiguel.com  a website that includes blogs, news, photos and more.

VoteFromAbroad makes it easy

www. VoteFromAbroad.org  the new voting assistance website developed for general use by Democrats Abroad, goes online today, Friday, May 5. It is user-friendly and reputedly goof-proof-but just in case, VoteFromAbroad volunteers will hold a voter registration clinic tomorrow, Saturday, May 6, at the Biblioteca Pública from 10am to 2pm to guide you through the process and answer any questions you may have. 

You can use www.VoteFromAbroad.org  to request your absentee ballot for both primaries and the November general election. The wizard will guide you through the voter registration and absentee ballot request process for your state. It will ask only those questions you are required to answer for your voting state and personal circumstances. It will then automatically fill in the official form with the information you have provided. 

The VoteFromAbroad wizard will not retain any personal information unless you authorize it. A full explanation of the privacy policy is provided online.

Don't want to do it alone? 

Come to the VoteFromAbroad event this Saturday at the Biblioteca Pública. You will need to know the following: 

-Your social security number. If you have another US form of ID-your passport or driver's license-bring that, too. State requirements differ.

-Your last residence address in the US, whether you were registered there or not. (The wizard will find the zip code if you don't remember it.) 

-Your residence address in Mexico. Your mailing address-in Mexico or the US-if it is different from your residence address. If you subscribe to a local mail service such as Solutions, Border Crossings or La Conexión that provides you with a Laredo address, put it here. 

Remember, primaries take place all summer long. Don't miss the chance to vote in your state's primary. Ask for your absentee ballot NOW! 

Seven-step process


1 Answer the six screens of customized, state-specific questions.

2 Review your answers and fix any mistakes.

3 Download or save the Adobe PDF file. It will include a personalized information sheet, fax cover sheet and your completed voter registration form.

4 Print the Adobe PDF file.

5 Sign and date the voter registration form.

6 Fax the voter registration form using the fax cover sheet (this step is optional).

7 Mail the form to your local election official at the address provided.

Patronato Pro Niños Auction and Raffle
By Paul Piazzese

Patronato Pro Niños is a nonprofit organization based in San Miguel that provides medical and dental care to needy children from San Miguel and surrounding villages. Be sure to get your tickets early. Last year this event was sold out a month in advance. The evening will begin at 5:30pm with cocktails and botanas while you place your bids on the silent auction items. At 7pm this year's live auction will begin while you enjoy a sit-down dinner. 

Want to take a vacation? How about a week in Paris, duck hunting in Louisiana or visiting Machu Picchu in Peru? Need to add to your art collection? We will be offering works by San Miguel's finest artists, including oils, works on paper and sculptures. How about a piece of "bling"? Earrings, necklaces, pins and a diamond Pave watch can be yours. 

The evening will close with a drawing of our raffle prizes. First prize is a week for two in Hawaii at the luxurious Turtle Bay Resort" on the legendary North Shore of Oahu. Round-trip airfare is included. The second prize is a Broadway getaway, including three nights in a hotel and three theater performances for two. Round-trip airfare is also included. Raffle tickets are US $100, and the winners need not be present to collect their prizes.

Auctioneer Scott Swenson from Austin, Texas, will once again donate his services to take you through the fabulous selection of items. You will be able to view all of the items offered in this year's live auction on our website: www.patronatoproninos.org/auction_raffle.html  The theme for this year's event is "A Night in Casablanca," featuring the sights, sounds and tastes of Morocco. Auction admission tickets are US $75 per person, and tables of 10 can be reserved for US $100 (each table seats 10 guests). 

To purchase auction tickets and raffle tickets or to reserve table, call Lily at 152-7796 or 154-9708 and she will have your tickets delivered to you. You can also visit our office at San Francisco 1, Interior 4. And you can purchase tickets from Patronato Pro Niños board members and friends. Non-San Miguel residents can order tickets from our website above. We accept cash, checks, MasterCard, Visa and American Express. 

The children need your support. Please come join us in this fun-filled evening.

Patronato Pro Niños Auction and Raffle
Friday, July 28, 5:30pm
Salón Acuario, Cardenal 4 
Residencial La Luz, 
Salida a Querétaro

Cover art for anthology sought

Photographers! Painters! Graphic artists! The San Miguel Authors' Sala is publishing an anthology of works by local writers. All of the pieces will be about San Miguel. The book will need a gorgeous, original jacket design!

We are actively soliciting works of art that could be incorporated into a cover, and also ideas for cover designs. Any ideas for a snazzy title are also welcome. Please submit your artwork or cover designs to the project coordinator, Megan Matlach, at megmatlach@gmail.com  or leave your artwork at her mailbox at Pack 'N' Mail at Canal No. 42, Box 101.

The Sala is also soliciting contributions from writers for the anthology. For submission guidelines, please go to www.sanmiguelauthors.com