On behalf of H.M. King Felipe VI, Ambassador Santiago Cabanas decorated Michael Shifter, President of the Inter-American Dialogue, with the Officer’s Cross of the Order of Isabel la Católica (Queen Isabella I). Open to both Spanish and foreign citizens, the honor recognizes extraordinary civil achievement.
Mr. Shifter is one of the most renowned experts on Latin American policy. At the helm of the Inter-American Dialogue, he has always advocated for stronger democratic institutions and freedom, with his perspectives on the region often sought out both in the United States, where he has testified in a variety of Congressional hearings, and in the region. A great friend of Spain, Mr. Shifter also recognizes the important and special ties that Spain shares with Latin America, a region without which Spain cannot be understood.