Former Democratic New Mexico governor Bill Richardson, who later served as the country’s ambassador to the UN, passed away. He was 75.
The Richardson Center for Global Engagement, a nonprofit organization founded by the former governor, revealed on Saturday that Richardson passed away peacefully at his vacation residence in Chatham, Massachusetts.
Richardson represented northern New Mexico in congress for 14 years before to his 2002 election as governor. He then ran an unsuccessful campaign to become the first Latino to be nominated for president of the United States. He worked as the secretary of energy and U.N. ambassador for President Bill Clinton.
Through his voluntary work to secure the release of Americans imprisoned abroad after his tenure in government, he solidified his reputation as an unofficial ambassador.
According to Mickey Bergman, vice president at the Richardson Center, “he lived every moment of his life in the service of others.” “The world is missing a champion for those detained unfairly abroad, and I have lost a dear friend and a mentor,” the speaker said.
After finishing fourth in the Iowa & New Hampshire primaries, Richardson withdrew his bid for the Democratic presidential candidacy in 2008. He later supported Obama, the then-elect, who appointed Richardson as his secretary of commerce. A federal probe into an alleged pay-to-play system involving contributions to campaigns in exchange for state contracts led Richardson to withdraw as a candidate for the position. Richardson and his former aides were cleared of all allegations after the investigation.
He became known as a skilled handshaker while working for the government. Richardson established a Guinness World Record in 2002 for shaking 13,392 hands in eight hours while campaigning, a record that is still valid today.
He conducted negotiations with infamous dictatorial regimes
Richardson made several trips to North Korea to negotiate the release of American detainees. He was successful in securing the release of American citizen Evan Hunziker, who had been detained after entering North Korean territory, in 1996.
His discussions with Fidel Castro, the leader of Cuba, resulted in the liberation of three political prisoners that same year.
Some criticized the prolific diplomat for being willing to engage with some of the most known dictatorial nations in the globe. Richardson received criticism from certain human rights advocates during his visit to Myanmar in 2021 for endorsing the country’s military.
Days later, after meeting with Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, the Burmese army general who had assumed control after toppling Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi’s elected government, the former governor was successful in securing the release of American journalist Danny Fenster.
Richardson received one of many Nobel Prize nominations last week for his work internationally to release political prisoners. The Democratic senators who put forth his nomination cited Richardson’s recent contribution to the releases of Marine veteran Trevor Reed and professional basketball player Brittney Griner, who were both returned to their home countries as part of prisoner swaps with Russia.
In an interview with NPR last year, Richardson voiced hope for the outcome before Griner’s release was obtained. Prisoner exchanges are unsightly, but occasionally they are necessary to return American hostages to their homes, he said.
Former colleague Richardson was mourned by President Biden, who referred to him as a “patriot and true original.”
‘He took every opportunity to serve and confronted every new challenge alongside joy, determined to accomplish the most beneficial for his country, his beloved New Mexico, as well as Americans around the world,’ Biden said in a statement on Saturday. Few have devoted as much time, effort, and good humor to serving our country in as many positions.
Barbara Richardson, Richardson’s 50-year wife, was present when he passed away, according to Bergman. He is survived by Heather, his daughter, in addition to his wife.