Senate approves first lady for Brazilian ambassador to US

The Senate on Wednesday (17) confirmed the name of diplomat María Luisa Ribeiro Viotti for the post of Brazil’s ambassador to the United States. She is the first woman to be appointed to the post. His nomination was approved by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee last week after a sabbatical. Today, it was put to a plenary vote, where it passed with 44 votes in favor, one against, and one abstention.

Maria Luisa is 69 years old. He entered the diplomatic career in 1976 and graduated in 1978 with a degree in Economic Sciences from the Integrated Teaching Association of Brasilia. He also completed courses in Developing Diplomats (1982) and Advanced Studies (1995). He holds a Masters in Economics from the University of Brasilia (UnB).

Diplomat, Counselor at the Brazilian Embassy in Bolivia, among other positions; He was Ambassador Permanent Representative to the United Nations (UN) from 2007 to 2013 and Ambassador of Brazil to Germany from 2013 to 2016. Between 2017 and 2022, he headed the office of António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations.

Argentina

Senators approved diplomat Julio Klindernik Bitelli for the post of Brazilian ambassador to Argentina. There were 42 votes in favor and 2 against and 3 abstentions. Argentina is one of Brazil’s main political and economic partners.

Julio Glinternick Bitelli was born in Santo Andre (SP). He holds a law degree from the University of São Paulo and a master’s degree in public administration from the Harvard Kennedy School. At Idamaraty, he served in positions in Washington (USA), Buenos Aires (Argentina), La Paz (Bolivia), Tunis (Tunisia), Bogotá (Colombia) and Rabat (Morocco).

UN

As for Brazil’s permanent representation at the United Nations, the name of diplomat Sergio Français Danis was approved. He will be based in New York, USA. The nomination was 40 votes in favour, 2 against and 1 abstention.

In São Paulo (SP), Denis joined the diplomatic career in 1981. With a degree in literature, he was head of the Brazilian Embassy in Algeria, Argentina, Peru and the Republic of Mauritius and the Kingdom of Lesotho.

* With information from the Senate Agency