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Latin America lingo: Resident sells real estate, Ecuadorian diplomat on side
Ecuadorian Consul General Ricardo M. Bowen is a resident of Frisco./Penny Rathbun
By Penny Rathbun
Frisco resident Ricardo M. Bowen is in real estate. He handles some fairly high-powered deals. On the surface, he is indistinguishable from hundreds of other Frisco residents.
Unlike all those others, his lapel pin of the American and Ecuadorian flags indicates his avocation - diplomat. He is the Honorary Consul of Ecuador for North Texas from Austin to the northern state borders.
As such, he may be asked by immigration officials to talk to someone coming into the country at D/FW International Airport that may have a passport that doesn't seem quite right. Recently he spoke to someone in that situation and determined that he was Ecuadorian and trying to get into the United States illegally. The man was put on the next plane back to Caracas, Venezuela.
Bowen came to this country from Ecuador with his mother and sister in 1955. His mother intended to stay in the United States a few years until her children learned English and then return to Ecuador. They just never returned to the country of his birth.
The main thing he wants to accomplish as the Honorary Consul of Ecuador for North Texas is to promote the exchange of ideas between Americans and Ecuadorians, making citizens of both countries better neighbors.
"Ecuador is just a four-hour plane ride away," he said. "I want to present to North Texas the opportunities of tourism in Ecuador."
He is quick to enumerate all the things there are to do in Ecuador, other than the Galapagos Islands. He said there is enough different terrain from the Andes mountains to the beaches with different climates to please anyone. People come to Ecuador to surf, fish and watch whales.
Ecuador is one of the largest exporters of flowers in the world, especially roses. He said any two-colored rose purchased in this country was grown in Ecuador. Shrimp and chocolate are two other major exports.
"North Texans don't look at Ecuador as a place to go on vacation. They are surprised at having such a good time on the mainland," he said.
Tourists tend to think there isn't much about Ecuador other than the Galapagos Islands.
The consul general said Ecuador is a good vacation destination because people there are friendly and open to foreigners and the country uses American currency.
Bowen explained he is not an ambassador. An ambassador represents the leaders of a country and have full diplomatic immunity.
As an honorary consul general he represents the people of Ecuador. He said he does possess immunity to some degree, but not to the extent an ambassador does. For instance, if he were to receive a speeding ticket in the course of his duties as the consul general he probably could avoid the ticket, "but," he said, "we are supposed to obey the laws better than other people."
Bowen said he spends at least a couple of hours a day on his consular job. "I enjoy it and there's a lot more to do," he said.
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