Tour of DUTY with SACHA WALTERS

'B C' IS how Mexican Ambassador to Jamaica Leonora Rueda describes herself.

That's 'before computers', to clear up any confusion.

Señora Rueda prefers to feel the pages of a book beneath her fingertips than having to read from a computer screen.

At 52, she is serving for the first time as ambassador for her country but she has been working with Mexico's ministry of foreign affairs since she was 17.

One of her assignments was chargé d'affaires for the Mexican embassy in Vietnam.

Schooled in international relations, Señora Rueda grew up in the capital, Mexico City, with her sister and mother, a widow.

Hanging behind her desk is a drawing of Benito Juarez, her favourite former president and national hero, one of the most influential leaders in Mexican history.

Señora Rueda's husband, a Harvard University-educated lawyer, died last year.

When did you get into the diplomatic service?

In 1990, before that I was just working in the ministry (of foreign affairs).

In 1991-1994 I was appointed consular of Mexico to New Orleans, Louisiana. There are many Mexicans there. I had to go to jails, I had to visit judges, I had to identify dead bodies. I had to be the cushion to comfort Mexican people who were in prison as they did not have any family. It was an interesting time.

Then, after 1994, I returned to Mexico to the ministry for eight years; I dealt with border issues between Mexico and the United States.

I dealt with establishing contact between the United States governors and the Mexican governors.

At that time, I was lucky to know (current US) President Bush because he was the governor of Texas.

What are some of the programmes your embassy is involved in?

As you know, Jamaica is the only Caribbean country that has a nuclear reactor. So, we have given some assistance in how to use the nuclear reactor in mapping the soil and to detect minerals in the soil.

Food shortage is a big topic these days, what do you think are some effects of these impending shortages?

First of all, I think countries like Jamaica and Mexico are blessed with the weather and land. I find that we are missing the final element which is the human element.

I think that if our countries were to have the strategic policy to go to the root of the problem, we would have no food shortage.

What we have to do is try and convince Jamaicans that to be a farmer is a very dignified job and for the government to make the farmers proud of being the main source of living for the country.

I don't understand why I can't find one of the things I love the most - limes. We love limes in Mexico. We put lime in everything even in the beer and in tequila. We put limes on tacos (rice, salads, etc). Most of the time I can't find them or they're very expensive.

I think they have to have a policy to plant different fruits and vegetables. In this strategy, I would underline something, to have nice markets. I proposed to Lorna Golding (prime minister's wife) that I would like her to go to Mexico to get the experience we have in our markets.

One of the nicest things you can see are the markets. They are very clean and the fruits and vegetables are beautifully displayed. All kind of fruits and vegetables and in the ceiling they have piñatas. I would like if someday I could do that.

I was talking to a farmer who said he had problems distributing his products. If you have beautiful markets, I assure you that the people are going to want to go to the markets.

How influenced are you by Benito Juarez?

Several states of the United States were Mexican territory (California, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas) so after the Mexican War (1846-48), Mexico was in a really bad condition, economic, social and political. We had debts with India, Spain and France.

We renegotiated the debt with France and India, but France decided to intervene in Mexico to have back their loan and if you know about the Cinco de Mayo, it's the one battle we won against the French troops at that time.

At that time, Juarez was the president. But among all these things Juarez was an Indian, an indigenous man from Oaxaca.

He learnt Spanish when he was 12 years old, so he was a very strong man, with lots of courage and a very prominent lawyer.

He transformed Mexico in that sense politically. He wanted to have a democratic country.

As you see in this picture, he's breaking the chain of for what was for us the 'slavery'.

Are these the reasons why he is your favourite national hero?

This, among other things. For me, he was the person who set the basis for a modern Mexico.

When I say modern, I mean modern in the 19th century. Of course, we have advanced a lot but many of the principles that we have in our law and in terms of foreign policy are because of him.

What did you study at school?

I studied International relations at UMAM, National Autonomous University of Mexico. It's the biggest university in Latin America.

My favourite place here in Jamaica is, I call it 'oooohwi' (UWI) . The University of the West Indies reminds me of UMAM. UMAM has a puma, that's the logo and the name of their football team.

So, you're a big football fan?

I must admit that's my favourite football team but I cannot be a fan of something because I'm very passionate when they lose. I suffer too much. I suffer when Mexico plays.

What was school like?

We used to have inside the school, a track. Since I was little, I was tall, thin and ugly. So I loved track and field because I was good.

So, now I admire and like to see on TV the competitions. But it happens to me now that I suffer when the Jamaicans are competing.

I think sports is very important in a society. For me, sports are as important as academics.

Mexican Ambassador to Jamaica Leonora Rueda - Peta-Gaye Clachar/Staff Photographer