The Chancellor of Spain, José Manuel Albares, explained that the replacement of Ramón Santos with Álvaro Albacete is due to the retirement of the former.
The Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs decided to change its ambassador to Venezuela, Ramón Santos, for the career diplomat and head of the Cabinet of the Ministry of Culture, Álvaro Albacete.
According to diplomatic sources consulted by EFE, the change occurs due to the retirement of Santos so that Albacete can take over the Embassy in Caracas; This after two months of the reception in Madrid of Edmundo González Urritia, who was sheltered in the diplomatic legation until he obtained safe conduct that allowed him to leave for Europe.
This change, furthermore, is recorded a few weeks before January 10; date on which the swearing-in before the 2020 National Assembly of President Nicolás Maduro is expected for a third consecutive term and the possible arrival in the country of González Urrutia, who has said on repeated occasions that he will seek to take office because he considers that he was the winner in the July elections.
Along with this case there are also the allegations made by the administration of Nicolás Maduro of the alleged participation of the National Information Center (CNI – Iberian intelligence agency) in a plan to overthrow him together with the CIA and the Venezuelan opposition.
Regarding the change of ambassador, the Spanish Foreign Minister, José Manuel Albares, said that it is a “normal” process and that Albacete has experience in the diplomatic field; just as it offers “all the guarantees” so that Spain’s interests in Venezuela are “perfectly protected.”
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«It is a completely normal change. The current ambassador, the ambassador who has been until now, was practically close to seventy years old, which is the retirement age for diplomats. He had a few months left and, therefore, it had to be done,” justified the head of the Spanish Foreign Ministry.
According to the profile published by EFE, Álvaro Albacete has served – among other positions – as deputy general secretary of the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM), in charge of the Environment, Blue Economy and Water and Higher Research Education.
In addition, he served as Deputy Secretary General of the International Dialogue Center, based in Vienna, representing Spain, and diplomatic advisor in the cabinet of the President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez.
He was general director of Casa Sefarad and Ambassador on Special Mission responsible for Spain’s relations with the Jewish Communities and Organizations, a position in which his mission was to prepare and promote the Law that Parliament would approve to facilitate Spanish nationality for the Jews of Sephardic origin.
With information from EFE
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