MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Expert in international cooperation next US ambassador in Brazil

Ms Ayalde has 24 year experience with USAID and was ambassador in Paraguay

President Barack Obama has named Lilian Ayalde a career diplomat with a long experience in international cooperation and former ambassador to Paraguay as the next ambassador to Brazil it was announced by the White House.

Once confirmed by the Senate Ayalde will replace Thomas A Shannon who has been in Brasilia since the end of 2009. The White House announcement also included the nomination of five other ambassadors: in Spain, Germany, Denmark, Ethiopia and the Holy See.

President Obama praised the nominations and expressed his confidence in diplomats which have such commitment and capacity and ‘have accepted to join the administration to serve the American people’

Ms Ayalde experience includes 24 years with USAID, the US cooperation agency, in such posts as Nicaragua (1997/99); Bolivia (1999/2005) and Colombia (2005/08). Currently she is Deputy Assistant Secretary for the US State Department with responsibility for the Offices of Caribbean Affairs, Central American Affairs and Cuban Affairs under Roberta Jacobson.

Born in Baltimore in 1956, Latino family descendent she is fluent in Spanish and Portuguese and was ambassador in Paraguay from 2008 to 2011.

Ms Ayalde will be taking her post when relations between the two countries have improved considerably following on Vice-president Joe Biden’s state visit to Brazil and ahead of President Dilma Rousseff’s visit to the White House next October.

Following the acceptance from Brazil of the future ambassador the last step is Senate hearings to confirm her nomination.