Ricardo Zúñiga is the former Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs, U.S. Department of State.[1]

Ricardo Zúñiga
Photograph of Ricardo Zúñiga facing away from the camera in the White House
Ricardo Zúñiga in the White House, 2014
Special Envoy for the Northern Triangle
In office
March 22, 2021 – July 28, 2023
PresidentJoe Biden
Preceded byOffice established
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs
In office
September 16, 2021 – July 28, 2023
PresidentJoe Biden
Preceded byHugo Rodriguez
Succeeded byMark A. Wells
Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs
Acting
In office
August 3, 2021 – September 15, 2021
PresidentJoe Biden
Preceded byJulie Chung
Succeeded byBrian A. Nichols
Personal details
BornTegucigalpa, Honduras
Alma materUniversity of Virginia (BA)

Zúñiga was appointed as Special Envoy for the Northern Triangle on 22 March 2021.[2][3] The Special Envoy engages with regional governments, including but not limited to Mexico, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras, on a range of issues in order to seek to improve conditions in Central America. He also held regional governments accountable for their commitments to address root causes of migration and the increase in arrivals of unaccompanied children at the U.S. southern border.[4][5][6]

In August 2021, he was appointed Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs. He succeeded Julie Chung as acting Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs until President Biden's nominee, Brian A. Nichols, was confirmed in the Senate.[7] He left office on July 28, 2023.[1]

From 2015 to 2018, he was the U.S. Consul General serving at Sao Paulo, Brazil.[4] From 2012 to 2015, he served as Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Western Hemisphere Affairs at the National Security Council.[8] He also played a key role in normalizing relations with Cuba.[9][10]

Early life and education

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Zúñiga was born in Tegucigalpa, Honduras. He has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Foreign Affairs and Latin American studies from the University of Virginia.[1]

References

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  1. ^ a b c "Ricardo Zúniga". United States Department of State. Retrieved 2021-09-25.
  2. ^ Mars, Amanda (2021-12-15). "Ricardo Zúñiga, enviado de EE UU para Centroamérica: "La respuesta a una democracia imperfecta es más democracia, no el populismo"". El País (in Spanish). Retrieved 2023-08-23.
  3. ^ Guatemala, U. S. Embassy (2021-03-22). "Anuncio de Ricardo Zúñiga como Enviado Especial para el Triángulo Norte". Embajada de Estados Unidos en Guatemala (in European Spanish). Retrieved 2023-08-23.
  4. ^ a b "Ricardo Zúñiga | Wilson Center". www.wilsoncenter.org. Retrieved 2021-06-07.
  5. ^ "Announcement of Ricardo Zúñiga as Special Envoy for the Northern Triangle". U.S. Embassy in Guatemala. 2021-03-22. Retrieved 2021-06-07.
  6. ^ "Briefing with Special Envoy for the Northern Triangle Ricardo Zuniga on Ongoing Diplomatic Efforts to Address the Root Causes of Irregular Migration from Central America". United States Department of State. Retrieved 2021-06-07.
  7. ^ "Ricardo Zuñiga will lead Western Hemisphere Affairs at State". La Política Online. 2021-08-05. Retrieved 2021-09-25.
  8. ^ "Ricardo Zuniga Special Envoy for the Northern Triangle" (PDF). Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs. 2021-06-07.
  9. ^ "RICARDO ZUNIGA, Director, National Defense University International Student Management Office, U.S. Department of State". International Student House Washington DC. Retrieved 2021-06-07.
  10. ^ ""Crisis of Capitalism": Roberto Lovato on How U.S. Policies Fuel Migration & Instability". Democracy Now!. Retrieved 2021-07-09.
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Ricardo's biography