United States President Joe Biden has appointed William Duncan as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Republic of El Salvador, the White House reported on its website.
Duncan, who holds a LL.B. and J.D. from the University of Arkansas, has served in the first US diplomatic service since 1992 and holds the rank of deputy chief of mission.
“Currently serving as a Senior Inspector in the Office of the Inspector General of the U.S. Department of State. Previously, he served as Consul General in Monterrey, Mexico,” says the White House website.
Biden’s nominee also served as deputy chief of mission at the United States Embassy in Mexico City and at the United States diplomatic missions in Asuncion, Madrid, Baghdad, Mexico City, Bogota, San Salvador, and Matamoros.
The nomination must be approved by the U.S. Senate, after an interview, as provided for in the process for appointing diplomatic officials.
In El Salvador, the United States has not had an ambassador since the departure of Ronald Johnson in January 2021. Since then, the diplomatic headquarters has been headed by Jean Mance and Brendan O’Brien, who have served as Chargé d’Affairs.
Last November, Chargé d’Affairs at the US Embassy, Jean Manis, denounced that the Bukele government was “not showing any interest in improving the relationship”.
Biden’s candidate speaks Spanish and served as Consul General of the United States in Monterrey, northern Mexico, and Deputy Chief of Mission at the United States Embassy in Mexico City.
He also served in the diplomatic representation of the United States in San Salvador, a city he would return to if ratified by the Senate, as well as in Asuncion, Madrid, Baghdad, Bogota and Matamoros (Mexico).
At the Department of State, he was responsible for Andean Affairs, Mexican Affairs, East African Affairs, and Central American Affairs, as well as the Operations Center for the Department of State, and has received several Foreign Service Awards.
Duncan is from Louisiana and holds a Juris Doctor from the University of Arkansas.
