Following the untimely passing of H.E. Alfredo Martinez in Guatemala a few weeks ago, Ambassador Alexis Rosado, Chief Executive Officer in the Belize Ministry of Foreign Affairs, will succeed him as Belize’s resident Ambassador to Guatemala.
“That is perhaps Belize’s most important diplomatic posting for obvious reasons, reasons that you know only too well,” said Prime Minister Dean Barrow, in announcing the appointment on Wednesday, at a press conference held at the Biltmore Plaza Hotel in Belize City.
Earlier this year, at the launch of a new roadmap for talks between Belize and Guatemala, Ambassador Rosado was also appointed to head the Belize delegation on the Belize-Guatemala Joint Commission. Rosado told us today that he would continue to head the Commission, at least in the interim.
Barrow said that the decision to appoint Rosado as Belize’s Ambassador to Guatemala was made after consultation with the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the larger Cabinet, after which they advised Governor General Sir Colville Young of their desire to have Rosado take up the diplomatic posting.
He said that Rosado is “extremely experienced in diplomacy,” having also previously served as Belize’s High Commissioner to the UK for a number of years. Rosado also held various other posts in the Foreign Service and is very well-qualified, said Barrow, who added that Rosado is qualified not just academically, but also because of his personality traits which are going to be required for this assignment.
“I am satisfied that Alexis is [by] far …the best person that we would ask to take over in Guatemala City,” Barrow commented.
He told the press that as soon as all the “protocolary requirements” have been completed, Government expects to dispatch Rosado as Ambassador Extraordinaire and Plenipotentiary to Guatemala.
“I think we will be very well served indeed,” he added.
Meanwhile, the current Chief Executive Officer in the Ministry of Housing, Lawrence Sylvestre, who has also served as Belize’s High Commission to the UK, will be the new CEO in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Denton Belisle, former CEO at the Belize Social Security Board, will succeed Sylvestre as the new CEO in the Ministry of Housing.