Guatemala appoints businessman as Ambassador to the Dominican Republic
The Guatemalan businessman Javier Zepeda was appointed ambassador of the Central American country in the Dominican Republic, as confirmed this Saturday by the Government headed by Alejandro Giammattei.
Zepeda, who from 2008 to 2021 was part of the board of directors of the Guatemalan Chamber of Industry (CIG), was sworn in on January 31, according to the Guatemalan Foreign Ministry.
The 58-year-old businessman “is in the administrative process prior to traveling to the Dominican Republic and taking office,” the Guatemalan Foreign Ministry told reporters.
Zepeda, belonging to the advertising guild, was sworn in by the now former Guatemalan Foreign Minister Pedro Brolo, who left his position on that same January 31 by personal decision.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs indicated that Zepeda “will hold” before traveling to the Dominican Republic “a meeting” with the new Guatemalan foreign minister, Mario Búcaro, who replaced Brolo since February 1.
Zepeda is one of the members of the Guatemalan business leadership and until August 17, 2021, he served as executive director of the Guatemalan Chamber of Industry, after his departure from the entity.
The Guatemalan Foreign Ministry did not specify whether the businessman has diplomatic experience, nor did it report on the reasons for his appointment by the local president, Alejandro Giammattei, before consulting journalists.
Guatemala and the Dominican Republic have had uninterrupted diplomatic relations since 1954 and last April the presidents of both countries, Alejandro Giammattei and Luis Abinader, respectively, held a meeting within the framework of an international summit in search of improving their friendly and commercial ties.
In addition to the change of his chancellor, Pedro Brolo, Giammattei also replaced his Interior Minister (Government) last January, Gendri Reyes, who left the post to ex-military Napoleón Barrientos.