3/20/2019

BRAZIL/STATE/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT/VENEZUELA: “In the past month alone, Brazil has called for a regime change in Venezuela. Iraq is inching forward in discussions with the Kurds. Mexico has threatened to not ratify the new NAFTA. Turkey threatened to nullify local election results. Thailand has passed a troubling cybersecurity law that alarms human rights activists. Guess what? At a time of growing global tensions, the United States does not have a single appointed ambassador on the ground in one of these countries. In fact, close to 80  senior leadership posts at the State Department, the U.S. Agency for International Development and other U.S. international affairs agencies are vacant. More than 40 of those posts have nominees pending before the Senate, while at least 35 critical leadership positions await a nominee from the White House. Two years into this administration and at the start of a new Congress, this crisis is both an unforced error and a unilateral disarmament of our civilian forces, with significant risks to our national security. It is time to stop blaming either end of Pennsylvania Avenue and swiftly move forward on diplomatic nominations and confirmations, especially given the backdrop of China trade talks and nuclear tensions with North Korea.”

Liz Schrayer, “Global tensions rise while too many U.S. diplomats are MIA. Trump and Congress, get on it.,” USA Today, March 20, 2019 9:44 am