MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Argentina picks Béraud to head all three Montevideo-based embassies

Béraud is a career diplomat who has served as Ambassador to Japan and Costa Rica

Argentina's Libertarian Government Wednesday announced the appointment of career Ambassador Alan Claudio Béraud as the new mission chief before Uruguay. Béraud is already stationed in Montevideo, where he heads Argentina's representations before the Southern Comon Market (Mercosur) and the Latin American Integration Association (ALADI).

”This appointment is part of the decision to unify the Embassy in Uruguay with the Permanent Representation to the Latin American Integration Association (ALADI) and MERCOSUR into a single diplomatic representation. This measure will optimize resources and generate significant savings for the Foreign Ministry and the Argentine Republic,“ the San Martín Palace said in a statement.

Earlier this month, Buenos Aires recalled Martín García Moritán from his Montevideo post and announced that, consistent with President Javier Milei's ”chainsaw“ budget cuts, the three missions in the Uruguayan capital were to be blended under one single Ambassador.

The Foreign Ministry also explained that García Moritán, 71, was past his retirement age, so his departure fitted the new austerity guidelines which include reducing diplomatic ”privileges” as members of the Foreign Service earn between US$ 1,000 and US$ 8,000 monthly, depending on their destination, which represents a substantial difference from other civil servants.

García Moritán's case also drew the spotlight on some other 30 Foreign Service officials of a similar age.

Béraud served as ambassador to Japan under Presidents Cristina Fernández de Kirchner and Mauricio Macri, and to Costa Rica under Alberto Fernández. He is married to María Cristina Dellepiane, also a high-ranjjkig official at the Foreign Ministry.