U.S. Under Secretary of Commerce for International Trade Christopher Padilla with Ambassador Frank E. Baxter in Punta del Este, March 31, 2008. The officials traveled to Punta del Este to participate in the Americas Innovation Forum. “We share the responsibility of bringing together the private and public sectors to promote our collective advancement,” said Padilla during a luncheon speech at the forum. (See related article.) During his visit to Uruguay, Under Secretary Padilla met with Uruguayan government officials, including Finance Minister Danilo Astori, Industry Minister Daniel Martinez and Foreign Affairs Minister Gonzalo Fernandez. He also met with business leaders from the private sector, particularly the software industry.