Diplomatic shifts in U.S. Western Hemisphere Affairs and Bolivia

The United States Department of State announced the departure of Ambassador Michael Kozak from his role as the Senior Bureau Official for the Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs. Kozak held the position for over 18 months. Juan Pablo Segura, the new Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs, acknowledged Kozak’s service and leadership in the region.

In Bolivia, Senate President Diego Ávila clarified that the Law of Arraigo 1709 does not apply to newly appointed ambassadors José Luis Lupo and Luis Fernando Camacho. Ávila argued that because the appointees remain public officials in their new diplomatic capacities, preventing them from assuming their posts abroad would be ‘absurd.’ Lupo has been designated to represent Bolivia at the Organization of American States (OAS).