Afro-Colombian politician tapped as ambassador to Washington

Jul 12, 2022, 2:49 PM | Updated: 3:45 pm

WASHINGTON (AP) — A veteran Afro-Colombian politician who studied in the Soviet Union and fled his homeland after being kidnapped by a paramilitary group has been tapped to become Colombia’s first Black ambassador to the United States.

In a brief message posted on Twitter on Tuesday, leftist President elect Gustavo Petro wrote that Luis Gilberto Murillo would take Colombia’s most important diplomatic post when he’s sworn into office next month.

Murillo, 55, has a long record maneuvering in Washington’s power circles, having established himself there more than two decades ago when fleeing death threats from right wing paramilitary groups.

Among his powerful supporters is Rep. Gregory Meeks, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, who helped craft aid programs for the traditionally marginalized Afro-Colombian population as part of negotiations over a U.S.-Colombia free trade agreement.

Murillo also has U.S. citizenship — something he’ll have to renounce to take up his diplomatic post.

But as ambassador for Colombia’s first leftist government, he’ll need more than deep connections to stabilize a bilateral relationship in what some fear could be a rocky transition.

During the hard fought presidential campaign, Petro, a former guerrilla, took aim at forced coca eradication and extradition — centerpieces of the U.S.-backed drug war in Colombia — as well as the free trade agreement with the U.S. he blames for impoverishing local farmers.

He’s also vowed to immediately re-establish diplomatic relations with Nicolas Maduro’s socialist government in neighboring Venezuela.

Murillo’s own background could help ease any tensions, according to Adam Isacson, a longtime observer of Colombia for the Washington Office on Latin America

During Colombia’s latest presidential election, Murillo ran as the vice presidential candidate for Sergio Fajardo, a centrist politician from Medellin. He only endorsed Petro after his own candidate failed to get enough votes to qualify for a run-off vote.

“His appointment is probably reassuring to a lot of people in the Biden administration,” said Isacson. “He’s not a hard leftist and he’ll be able to maneuver pretty well to show people that Petro isn’t a radical either.”

Murillo was born into a poor family in the largely Afro-Colombian province of Choco, along Colombia’s Pacific Coast. The region is one of Colombia’s poorest and home to a large population of descendants of African slaves who have long been underrepresented in business and politics.

He studied engineering in the Soviet Union on a scholarship, along the way meeting his Russian wife. He served twice as governor of his home province and has also been Colombia’s environment minister.

In 2000, Murillo was kidnapped by paramilitary groups and later fled to Washington with his family. One of his first jobs in the capital was to work as a bouncer at a night club. Eventually he found work in several international development agencies including the World Bank.

“It is a great responsibility to lead bilateral relations with the US,” Murillo said on Twitter. “We will work to strengthen the paths of peace and carry out coordinated work to bring greater prosperity to our two nations.”

Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

AP

(Facebook Photo/Superior Court of Arizona in Yavapai County)...
Associated Press

Arizona judge has cases reassigned following DUI arrest

The Arizona Supreme Court has ruled that all cases currently assigned to a Yavapai County Superior Court judge recently arrested on suspicion of extreme DUI will be reassigned to other judges.
20 hours ago
Haitian migrant Gerson Solay, 28, carries his daughter, Bianca, as he and his family cross into Can...
Associated Press

US, Canada to end loophole that allows asylum-seekers to move between countries

President Joe Biden and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Friday announced a plan to close a loophole to an immigration agreement.
4 days ago
Expert skateboarder Di'Orr Greenwood, an artist born and raised in the Navajo Nation in Arizona and...
Associated Press

Indigenous skateboard art featured on new stamps unveiled at Phoenix skate park

The Postal Service unveiled the “Art of the Skateboard" stamps at a Phoenix skate park, featuring designs from Indigenous artists.
4 days ago
(Facebook Photo/City of San Luis, Arizona)...
Associated Press

San Luis authorities receive complaints about 911 calls going across border

Authorities in San Luis say they are receiving more complaints about 911 calls mistakenly going across the border.
10 days ago
(Pexels Photo)...
Associated Press

Daylight saving time begins in most of US this weekend

No time change is observed in Hawaii, most of Arizona, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Guam and the Northern Marianas.
18 days ago
Mexican army soldiers prepare a search mission for four U.S. citizens kidnapped by gunmen in Matamo...
Associated Press

How the 4 abducted Americans in Mexico were located

The anonymous tip that led Mexican authorities to a remote shack where four abducted Americans were held described armed men and blindfolds.
18 days ago

Sponsored Articles

(Desert Institute for Spine Care in Arizona Photo)...
Desert Institute for Spine Care in Arizona

5 common causes for chronic neck pain

Neck pain can debilitate one’s daily routine, yet 80% of people experience it in their lives and 20%-50% deal with it annually.
...
Day & Night Air Conditioning, Heating and Plumbing

Company looking for oldest air conditioner and wants to reward homeowner with new one

Does your air conditioner make weird noises or a burning smell when it starts? If so, you may be due for an AC unit replacement.
(Pexels Photo)...

Sports gambling can be fun for adults, but it’s a dangerous game for children

While adults may find that sports gambling is a way to enhance the experience with more than just fandom on the line, it can be a dangerous proposition if children get involved in the activity.
Afro-Colombian politician tapped as ambassador to Washington