ORLANDO, Fla. – Attorney Dan Newlin, a massive supporter of President-elect Donald Trump, could be the next U.S. ambassador to Colombia.
The Orlando attorney was nominated Wednesday.
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Newlin will have to go through a Senate confirmation to take the post. If he gets approved, here is what he’ll need to know.
What is an ambassador?
Ambassadors lead one country’s diplomatic mission to another country. The ambassador is the highest-ranking diplomat, with the job of maintaining and strengthening relations while also helping American expatriates living in that foreign country. They work with the president and the U.S. Secretary of State directly.
That includes regular communication with that country’s leaders, including the head of government and their foreign ministers, speaking for the U.S. and its interests. This may include security concerns, human rights issues, economic and environmental concerns.
The ambassador also promotes economic relations, supporting American businesses, and advocating for trade and investment. They also foster cultural and educational exchanges.
The embassy, which the ambassador runs, helps U.S. citizens living in the country with visa and passport issues, navigating the country’s laws and government systems, and assists Americans in an emergency situation.
What is the unique situation in Colombia?
Colombia has not had a permanent ambassador since 2022. President Joe Biden nominated Jean Elizabeth Manes to the post in 2023, but the U.S. Senate never confirmed her.
Francisco Palmieri runs the embassy in Colombia as U.S. Chargé d’Affaires, acting as an interim ambassador. While Palmieri has essentially the same duties, he does not have the same level of access as someone with the official title of ambassador would.
The Colombian government ended more than 50 years of conflict in 2016 by signing a peace accord with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). The U.S. supported the peace process with financial aid that had grown to a total of $1.5 billion as of 2023. The U.S. removed FARC from the foreign terrorists list in 2021, while designating two breakaway groups that were created by former FARC rebels.
In 2022, Biden designated Colombia a major non-NATO ally, which gives the country access to economic and security programs.
According to the U.S. State Department, Colombia is a key partner in U.S.-South American relations, particularly regarding drug trafficking and other criminal activities, and also in dealing with the authoritarian regime in Venezuela.
However, Colombia elected its first leftist president, Gustavo Petro, in 2022, and Petro’s policies on narcotics have somewhat strained relations. Cultivation of the plant that cocaine is derived from is at its highest levels in a decade, according to a report in Americas Quarterly, which cites the United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime.
The United States is also Colombia’s largest trade partner with more than $39.3 billion in goods and services traded in 2022, and Colombia is the third-largest U.S. trade partner in Latin America.
In addition, the Colombian ambassador will have to provide services for the estimated 20,000 Americans living in Colombia, along with the thousands who visit the country every year.
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