Diplomats reject the appointment of politicians without international experience in embassies after the election of Puig

They say that the election of representatives without international experience damages the image of Spain abroad

MADRID, 21 Feb. (EUROPA PRESS) -

The Association of Diplomats (ADE) has rejected the recent appointments as ambassadors by the Government of politicians "without experience" or international experience, after the former president of the Valencian Generalitat Ximo Puig has been appointed as the permanent representative of Spain to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).

In a message on social networks, the association that brings together nearly 70% of the members of the Diplomatic Career has expressed its rejection of the election of Spanish representatives who "ignore the specific preparation and professionalism of diplomats" because it damages the image of Spain abroad.

"Spain's foreign action is harmed by appointments of political ambassadors with no experience in international relations or knowledge in geopolitics, multilateral negotiation and languages," the ADE, which had previously expressed its displeasure over the election, expressed on the social network of political ambassadors at the proposal of the head of Foreign Affairs, José Manuel Albares.

The criticism of the majority association of diplomats takes place one day after the still general secretary of the PSPV-PSOE assumed office as the new permanent delegate ambassador to the OECD - based in Paris -, replacing the also former socialist leader Manuel Escudero Zamora, who had been in office since 2018.

The ADE already expressed its disagreement with this type of appointment when former ministers Héctor Gómez and Miquel Iceta were appointed in December as new permanent representatives of Spain to the UN in New York and to UNESCO. Then, they pointed out that it was "particularly disturbing" that the representation of Spain in "two especially sensitive positions" was in the hands of politicians without international experience and not of diplomats of "proven professional value."

Although they recognized that the power to elect Embassy holders belongs to the Government, they made it clear that their members are "opposed" to this type of appointment because it represents a "decrease in the image of the country," especially with nominations that affect simultaneously to several international organizations.

In addition to the OECD, which was already occupied by a former leader of the PSOE, and the representation of Spain before UNESCO and the UN in New York of Iceta and Gómez, the Government of Pedro Sánchez maintains three other ambassadors or political representatives, making a total of six.

Specifically, the former Minister of Health Carmen Montón is the representative before the Organization of American States (OAS) in Washington; former Minister of Education Isabel Celáa, ambassador to the Holy See; while Ángel Martín Peccis was appointed by Pedro Sánchez to be ambassador of Spain in Cuba.