BELMOPAN, Thurs. Aug. 2, 2018- The tour of duty of Adrienne Galanek, the former United States Chargé d’ Affaires in Belize, ended this year in the middle of last month, and she returned to the US after being in Belize for 3 years. Following her departure, the U.S. Embassy introduced her successor, Keith Gilges, on the 26th of July.

In a post on the US Embassy’s Facebook, Gilges’ first words for the Belizean people were: “I am excited to be in the ‘Jewel’ and am looking forward to getting to know the country and to meeting as many Belizeans as possible over the next three years. I will work to continue and deepen the already warm and productive relationship between the United States and Belize.”

Gilges arrives with plenty of experience as a Foreign Service Officer. He was most recently detailed to the National Security Council and also served in the Office of Canadian Affairs at the State Department from 2015-2017. He has served in various positions at U.S. Missions in Kenya, Brazil, and Mozambique as well.

Gilges assumed the position on July 24 and his tour of duty will last for 3 years. The Chargé d’ Affaires temporarily fills the role of an ambassador. Since the swearing in of US President Donald Trump in January 2017, Belize has not had an ambassador at the US Embassy.