President Patxi Lopez presents Patty Miller with award.

By Nancy Zubiri

As part of his first official visit to the United States as the Basque lehendakari, Patxi Lopez introduced himself to festival goers at Boise’s Jaialdi 2010 on Thursday, July 29. He spoke at a reception hosted by the Basque government of Spain in which Basque Museum Director Patty Miller was honored with the Lagun Onari award, given for significant contributions to Basque history and culture.

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The case against the editors of Egunkaria, the Basque daily newspaper closed down in 2003 by the Spanish government, was dismissed Monday, April 12. Spanish government officials at the time of the closure claimed that the newspaper editors had ties to the Basque separatist movement ETA, an accusation that the editors vehemently denied.

The editors had widespread support from Basques around the world, including many in the United States. Continue Reading

Journalist Judith Torrea still remembers crossing the bridge from El Paso, Texas to Juarez, Mexico. Continue Reading

California Lt. Gov. John Garamendi, the grandson of Basque immigrants, will resign his state post and be sworn in Thursday Nov. 5 in a ceremony in the House of Representatives after winning an election for a northern California Congressional seat.

John Garamendi on election night. Photo: Garamendi for Congress.

The 63-year-old Democrat captured 53 percent of the vote against Republican David Harmer, who had 43 percent, in the Nov. 3 special election to fill a vacant seat in the 10th Congressional District.

“I’m excited. I’m really excited,” Garamendi told supporters at his campaign headquarters as election results were tallied.

He told reporters that he plans to get to work on issues such as health-care reform and the war in Afghanistan after he arrives in Washington D.C. “There’s a lot of work to be done,” Garamendi said.

Garamendi will become the first Basque-American to serve in Congress from California, the most populous state in the U.S. He will be the second Basque-American to serve in the Congress. The other was Paul Laxalt, who also was a governor of Nevada.

Garamendi will arive in Washington at a critical time for congressional Democrats. He’ll be in a position to vote on long-awaited legislation to reform the nation’s health-care system, a top priority of the Obama Administration.

Health care was one of the topics discussed by Garamendi and former President Bill Clinton during an upbeat rally Oct. 6 at the Basque Cultural Center in South San Francisco.

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Bill Clinton, seen in this video by EITB News, thanked his hosts at the Basque Cultural Center in South San Francisco, saying they made him feel welcome. The former president led an upbeat rally Oct. 6 in support of California Lt. Gov. John Garamendi’s campaign for Congress.

Addressing the audience, Clinton recalled a visit to the Basque Country with Hillary more than 30 years ago. It was a great experience, he said, except for the “fish and cold milk.” His comment drew laughter from the several hundred people at the rally.

Garamendi, among the most prominent Basque American elected officials in the U.S., is the grandson of Basque immigrants. A Democrat, Garamendi is running in a special election Nov. 3 to fill a vacant seat in the Northern California congressional district.

By Xabier Berrueta and Nancy Zubiri

California Lt. Gov. John Garamendi received a high-profile boost in his campaign for Congress, Continue Reading

Former President Bill Clinton and California Lt. Gov. John Garamendi will appear tomorrow Oct. 6 at the Basque Cultural Center in South San Francisco.

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California Lt. Gov. John Garamendi is likely going to Washington D.C. after winning a crowded election in September.

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John Garamendi, among the most prominent Basque-American elected officials in the United States, is leading in a race for a Northern California congressional seat, according to a recently released poll.

John Garamendi is the grandson of Basque immigrants. Photo from his campaign website.

The poll results, published August 24 in The Sacramento Bee, showed Democratic candidate Garamendi with an 11-point lead over his closest rival in the crowded race for the open seat.

Garamendi, 64, is the lieutenant governor of California. The grandson of Basque immigrants also has served in the State Legislature and as California’s insurance commissioner.

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