MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Chargé d'Affairs takes over US Embassy in Asunción on an interim basis

Ostfield will most likely not be missed after he caused a lot of damage to Paraguay, Peña claimed

As controversial US Ambassador Marc Ostfield completed his assignment in Asunción, the US diplomatic mission was left temporarily under Chargé d'Affairs Amir Masliyah -who has been Deputy Mission Chief since July 2022.

 Ostfield had been at odds with Paraguay's ruling National Republican Association (ANR), also known as the Colorado Party. He was instrumental in declaring former President Horacio Cartes and former Vice President Hugo Velázquez “significantly corrupt,” although the two of them belong to different factions within the political force. Cartes currently chairs the ANR after mentoring Santiago Peña's successful presidential bid. Therefore, his departure comes as a relief for Peña, who met with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio earlier this week. Peña accused Ostfield of tarnishing his government's relationship with the DEA. “I think he has done tremendous damage to the bilateral relationship between two brotherly countries,” he claimed.

The previous US administration of President Joseph Biden had chosen the highly qualified Gabriel Escobar for the Asunción position but his nomination was never voted on at the Senate so now President Donald Trump has a chance to pick someone of his choice, like he did for Buenos Aires and Montevideo. Escobar is believed to still be in contention.

Masliyah's resumé includes services at the American Institute in Taipei (Taiwan), the International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Institute (INL) in Mexico City, and Deputy Director and later Director of Management positions at Chiang Mai (Thailand). His diplomatic career also includes spells at the US Consulate in São Paulo (Brazil), the US Embassy in San Salvador (El Salvador), and in Washington DC.

“I thank Marco Rubio, US Secretary of State, for the opportunity to discuss key issues to strengthen the relationship between our countries,” Peña wrote on X. “I am confident that, by working together, we can achieve great things that benefit our nations and the entire region,” he added while admitting that the conversation dealt with a shared vision for cooperation and development.

Peña went to Washington DC hoping to attend Trump's inauguration but since the ceremony was moved indoors he was left outside, in what many in Asunción's political circles dubbed as an embarrassment for the South American country. Still, Peña highlighted his meeting with various US lawmakers with whom “we spoke about the strong relationship between Paraguay and the United States, highlighting the shared values that unite us and the importance of working together to achieve our goals” and laid out a roadmap thereto. “I am convinced that through dialogue and cooperation, we can advance initiatives that promote mutual development,” Peña underscored.

He also discussed investment opportunities in Paraguay with Mexican tycoon Carlos Slim. “It is gratifying to see how our potential continues to attract global leaders committed to development. We will keep working to make Paraguay an increasingly attractive destination for new investments that generate jobs and progress,” Peña concluded.