Brazil, in 1995, after battling inflation for 15 years, had finally killed it with an economic plan called the Plano Real. Inflation, which until 1994 would often reach one percent a day, was now in the single-digit range. One of the side effects of the Plano Real was that the new Brazilian currency, the real, started rising steadily against the dollar. For Brazilians dreaming of their first visit to New York or Orlando, this was a godsend. Suddenly, the US was a cheap place to go on vacation. But the US Consulate-General in São Paulo, Brazil’s largest city, didn’t have enough people or physical space to issue hundreds of thousands of visas. The waiting lines of visa-seeking tourists went around the block. People stood patiently for hours, clutching envelopes with passports, forms and photos, not certain if they would get to talk to a visa officer that day. If they couldn’t get to the US, they couldn’t spend tourist dollars there – and that was bad for business.
One of Brazil’s most famous cartoonists, Luis Fernando Veríssimo, published a cartoon that read: “They sell everything on the beach”, then (someone off-screen shouting) “I’m selling places in line for US visas!”, then “Everything”.
This was the challenge facing Melissa when she arrived in May 1995. By the end of her stay in December 1997, she had developed a system for processing visas more efficiently that was copied by US consulates around the world.
Former US President Jimmy Carter visited São Paulo and in January 1997 wrote to then President Bill Clinton that “Mrs. Wells has instituted remarkably effective procedures for issuing more than 350,000 visas a year with practically no long lines or delays. She utilizes the cooperation of approved travel agents, a common computer hook-up, and 1-900 calls-ins that accomplish what we have never seen in any place where there are voluminous visa demands.”
In the early months of this challenge, she made her husband Alfred work on helping process visas. Her brother Richard, when he visited, also had to work on visas. They were not paid but got free lunches.
Melissa helped promote business in both countries. With Wisconsin Governor Tommy Thompson, she posed on a Harley-Davidson motorcycle. She toured the factory of aircraft maker Embraer, which sells jets to US airlines. She would meet with key Brazilian business leaders. She also gave press interviews. And when African students in São Paulo discovered that she had worked in Mozambique, she was invited to speak at an event on her experience there.
In October 1997, US President Bill Clinton visited São Paulo, accompanied by Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, who made a point of introducing Melissa to the president. When Melissa mentioned that she had studied at Georgetown, Clinton asked if she had taken classes with Prof. Quigley, Melissa replied, “Yes, and he would read my papers in class as an example of excellent work”.
“He never read any of my papers,” Clinton said. Albright then changed the subject.
The Clintons stayed at the Mofarrej Sheraton hotel and one evening asked Melissa if she could get some of the delicious steaks that Brazil is famous for. She went to her favorite steakhouse, or churrascaria in Portuguese, Barbacoa. When she arrived, together with some of the president’s security team, she explained to the manager that she wanted to order some food to take out.
“But senhora Melissa,” the manager said, “we don’t do takeouts.”
“This is for somebody very important,” Melissa insisted, without mentioning names.
The manager was adamant. Right then, Madeleine Albright walked by and the manager recognized her. Melissa said, “This is for someone even more important.”
His eyes opened wide, and he allowed the presidential security team to go into the kitchen and make sure that the food was in order. The Clintons enjoyed the steaks very much and complimented Melissa.
As her time in São Paulo ended, she planned to retire. Her work colleagues prepared a farewell party with a play that recounted her life. The play coincidentally took place on Halloween.
Two retired Foreign Service Officers who worked with Melissa in São Paulo, Gil and Linda Donahue, sent a tribute with stories. Gil and Linda are both retired US diplomats who, in the seventies, faced a similar challenge to that of Melissa and Alfred: the unwritten rule that married couples couldn’t work at the same post. From 1971 to 1974, they served in Mexico. They married in August 1973, and Linda was expected to resign. The US Minister Counselor for Consular Affairs in Mexico City, Margaret Hussman, convinced the personnel department in Washington to have Gil moved to where Linda was stationed. After that, the couple was able to be assigned to the same posts up to when they retired in 1998.
Melissa was all set to retire at the end of 1997. But then another one of her dreams would come true: to return to the country where she was born.