The Diplomat in Spain

Fernando Carderera, Carlos Bastarreche, Pablo García-Berdoy and Ricardo Díez-Hochleitner.

L.Ayllón / A.Rodríguez. 23/07/2018

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Josep Borrell, confirmed in their current posts to several ambassadors appointed by the previous Executive who are destined in capitals of major relevance for Spain due to geo-strategic issues, sources told to The Diplomat. This is the case of Fernando Carderera (Paris), Carlos Bastarreche (London), Pablo García-Berdoy (EU) and Ricardo Díez-Hochleitner (Rabat).

Carderera has only been in charge of the Spanish Embassy in France for six months. Among his counselors has been until last month José Manuel Albares, who is now in charge of international policy in Moncloa Palace with Pedro Sánchez. The Spanish President keeps frequent contacts with the French President, Emmanuel Macron, the next of them will take place on Thursday in Moncloa.

In the case of Bastarreche and García-Berdoy, the negotiation of the Brexit between the EU and the United Kingdom has weighed on Borrell’s decision to keep them in their posts. Also the fact that the Secretary of State for the EU, Marco Aguiriano, continue with the same team that had his predecessor, Jorge Toledo, recommended to keep them.

Both are diplomats without political affiliation and in the past they have served both PP and PSOE governments. In addition, they have been in their current destinations for a short time: Bastarreche arrived in London in March of last year and García-Berdoy arrived in Brussels a little before, in December 2016, replacing Alfonso Dastis.

Finally, Díez-Hochleitner has been in Rabat for almost three years and bilateral diplomatic relations are excellent since his arrival to Morocco. Between 2002 and 2011 he was General Secretary of the King’s Household. Previously, he worked with Felipe González as director of the International Department. With José María Aznar he was Ambassador to Bosnia and General Director of Foreign Policy. And with Mariano Rajoy he was Permanent Representative to the OSCE.