US Name New Ambassador in Brazil

06/07/2013 - 07h17

A career diplomat Liliana Ayalde, 57, will be the new US ambassador in Brasilia. The "agrément" (authorization) will be issued on Friday by the Brazilian government.

Born in Baltimore, March 1956, Ayalde is the daughter of a Colombian doctor living in the USA. She has been a USAID (United States Agency for International Development) official since 1981. The USAID is a division of the US government responsible for implementing foreign aid plans.

She worked for the USAID, for example, in La Paz (Bolivia) and Bogota (Colombia) and in 2005, under President George W. Bush government, she was appointed ambassador in Asuncion (Paraguay). Then she returned to Washington with the USAID and since July 2012 she holds the position of Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs, covering Cuba, Central America and the Caribbean.

Jorge Adorno - 8.nov.2010/Reuters

Former ambassador to Paraguay Liliana Ayalde was named new US ambassador in Brasilia

According to Folha 's investigation, the current ambassador, Thomas Shannon, was one of the main defenders of Ayalde for the position and three factors counted heavily in choosing her: having a career as official, her ability to speak Spanish and Portuguese (according to her resume) and being a woman.

Ayalde will start at the US Embassy in a moment where Brasilia and Washington are visibly reconnecting and her "agrément" comes only a few days after the visit of Vice President Joe Biden and months before the visit of President Dilma Rousseff to the US scheduled for October. This will be the only state visit to the country this year.

In addition to joint programs in the defense, security, health and energy areas, the new ambassador will also manage a theme of great interest for the two countries: the purchase of new fighter aircraft for the Brazilian Air Force. The American company Boeing is one of three competing with the F-18.

Ayalde holds a degree in International Relations from American University in Washington, and a Master in International Public Health by Tulane University, New Orleans. She is married and has two daughters.

Translated by SIMONE PALMA

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