U.S. Consular
Agent Ed Clancy

But what, exactly, can a Consular Agent do for U.S. citizens? And, perhaps more importantly, what can't he do? I talked with Ed over a cappuccino at Café on Zacateros to find out.

Soft-spoken, relaxed, with an easy-going manner and a talent for getting right to the point without hyperbole, Ed Clancy is a long way from the stereotypical image of the government bureacrat in a suit. Comfortably dressed in jeans and a polo shirt, he has a warm smile and exudes a genuine willingness to look for the best solution to any problem while neither over-reacting nor dismissing anyone's genuine concerns. He comes across as exactly the kind of even-tempered guy you'd like to have in your corner in an emergency.

When long-time San Miguel Consular Agent Phil Maher retired three years ago, Ed Clancy was a logical choice to succeed him. He was born in Mexico, to a Mexican mother and American father, and he grew up in the United States. That gives him a unique bi-cultural understanding and makes him an invaluable link between the U.S. and Mexican communities here.

The first question I asked Ed is where exactly he falls on the diplomatic ladder. He explained that there are three levels of U.S. State Department services abroad.

At the top is the Embassy, and there's only one in each country, i.e. the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City. Next are the ten Consulates, located in major Mexican cities. They deal with visas, issuing passports and many other State Dept. tasks. Then there are 15 Consular Agencies, located in smaller towns with significant U.S. tourist or ex-pat populations. "We act as satellites to the consulates," Ed said. Rather than being career Foreign Service personnel, "agents are generally people who live in the community. Their local contacts are very helpful."

"My job is pretty simply defined," Ed says. "It's to help American citizens overseas." He says that the job is typically about 50% non-emergency services, and 50% emergency services.

So what makes up a day for a consular agent in San Miguel de Allende? For one thing, he says, "the phone never stops. Calls for information, requests for advice. People say, This is what happened. Now what do I do? And we get a lot of How do I...? questions." There will be a string of people applying for passports, needing a certificate of birth abroad. "We help Americans record almost any event in their lives, from birth certificates to death certificates."

There are also several people most days needing documents notarized. "I am the only legal U.S. notary in San Miguel," he points out. Document notarizations at the agency cost US$30 (or peso equivalent).

He also gets a large number of Mexican citizens wanting information on U.S. visas. "We can't issue visas," he explains. "We can only help people understand the process and point them where they need to go."

What kinds of emergencies does he encounter? "It's mostly the same kinds of problems people have at home—they get sick, they have accidents, they do something that lands them in jail." Sometimes he has to deal with issues involving children. "A teen-ager runs away with her Mexican boyfriend, for instance. Then you have a situation where the will of the parents differs from the will of the child. Or you get a parent who brings a child into Mexico against the will of the other parent." In such a case, he explains, it becomes a Hague Convention issue. "The child needs to be returned to the original jurisdiction so the case can be decided there."

Probably the most high-profile part of the job is assisting Americans in legal trouble in Mexico. "We're here to help, but we're not a branch of the Mexican legal system. I can help people understand the system and how it works, explain how it's different from the U.S. system, give them a list of possible lawyers and make them aware of their rights. I don't give legal advice. Anything a lawyer might do, generally I don't do."

Currently, Ed is visiting and helping six American citizens in six different jails and prisons in his area. The number is small because of a bilateral agreement between the U.S. and Mexico that many Americans are likely not aware of. After a prisoner is convicted and all appeals are exhausted, he/she has the right to choose to serve out the sentence in their home country. "The people imprisoned in my area have not chosen to exercise that right," Ed explains. "The are generally better off and happier if they are near family here."

Perhaps Ed's strongest point as consular agent is his accessibility. He posts regularly to online email groups about San Miguel, answering questions and giving advice, both official and non. And he has instituted a monthly "Coffe with the Consul" that has proved to be very popular. Once a month he invites anyone interested to meet him at a selected café in town and answers questions on a wide range of subjects. He has also invited Mexican officials, such as Police Chief Trujillo, to speak with U.S. citizens on questions of crime, police matters, residence issues and other government matters.

Three years into the job, Ed Clancy is the man people mean when, no matter the question, the answer seems to be "Ask Ed." As consular agent, he is an integral and vital part of the San Miguel community. He's enjoying using his time, his knowledge and his talents to help U.S. citizens in San Miguel in a myriad of ways—some seen, some not. And those American citizens are extremely glad he's here.

Ed Clancy can be reached at the Consular Agency Office
Hernandez Macias #72, Int. #6
Tel: (415) 152-2357
Fax: (415) 152-1588
Hours: Mon-Thur. 9 am-1 pm
Fridays for emergencies or by appointment


"Ask Silvia"

Silvia Cadena
of Friday Services

Silvia Cadena loves San Miguel. She loves knowing its ins and outs as only a long-time sanmiguelense can really do. She knows what's where, who to see and how to get things done. And she really loves sharing that insider information with others. That's why she started her business "Friday Services" seven years ago. After taking a sabbatical from the business, she's at it again, now with the help of two enthusiastic young and personable family members, Julián and Jerónimo, helping the San Miguel community with everything from running errands, finding hard-to-find items, cooking a meal, or building a house. Send us your questions for Silvia through our Contact Us page.

Q: What are the hours (and days) the Mega super store is open?
A:the Mega is usually open from 8 am-9 pm. Sometimes during holidays they might stay open until 10 pm, and during the Christmas shopping season they are usually open for late shopping until 11 pm, but you'll be safe to count on 8 am-9 pm.

Q:Where in San Miguel can I get good, really fresh, hand-made corn tortillas—the kind my Tia Lupita would have made if I'd had one!
A:I think the best tortillas come from the women who sell them from baskets at the mercados. You can find them at San Juan de Diós market, near the exit doors, or at the Ignacio Ramírez market in the centro, where they are outside at the back. The women sit on stools with their baskets of fresh, hand-made tortillas, usually wrapped in emroidered white napkins. They have the very small ones used in Mexican tacos, the larger ones, and sometimes the ones made from blue corn—YUM! Some of them are even cooked over mesquite wood.

Q:I'll be in San Miguel for two months this summer. What are my best options for temporary, pay-as-you-go cell phone service? What's the best way to call the States or Canada?
A:There are a couple of big cell phone companies where you can buy a phone for as little as 350 pesos (about US$25), including 25 minutes of local calls. You just buy more "time" when you need it. This is just perfect for calls to friends in San Miguel. One place is Telcel. They have a nice office near the Luciernaga mall with a lot of phones to choose. Now to use long distance service, cell phones in Mexico are expensive. But San Miguel is full of internet cafes and most of them have "US Long Distance Calls" for free or very low rates. Most of these are through Vonage, the broadband service. Most of the mail/shipping services also offer Vonage calls to the States very cheap or free to members.

Saludos,
Silvia


Photo of the Month

With Holy Week approaching, the photo flash cards will be filling up fast with all the photographable images in San Miguel. Here's one of my favorites from last year, taken as the Judas figures were exploding beside the Jardín on Easter Sunday.


Photo © Donna Meyer. All rights reserved

Have you got a favorite photograph of San Miguel de Allende? Share it with us! Send us your best shots. We'll pick one to include in the newsletter each month. And, if you give permission, it might also be included on the site.

Coupon of the Month

Head on upstairs to the prettiest new bar in town and have a drink on the house! The Sunset Bar at Casa Linda is at Mesones 101, just across the street form the Teatro Angela Peralta. The ambiance is lovely, the view gorgeous, the service fine. Owner Linda McLaughlin will be happy to welcome you to share the roof terrace of the 400-year-old Meson that grew up to be a luxury hotel.

Print the coupon below and present it to your waiter or bartender to get your first drink on the house!





Seeya Next Month!

Donna