The Diplomat
The Italian Ambassador to Spain, Ricardo Guariglia, offered a reception at his residence yesterday to bid farewell to our country, after being appointed new Secretary General of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Guariglia, who since his arrival in Madrid in May 2020 has carried out intense work in favour of Spanish-Italian relations, plans to join the Farnesina, the Roman palace where the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has its headquarters, in March.
The former ambassador to Spain has been chosen by the Italian foreign minister, Antonio Tajani, as the head of his department, with functions greater than those of the undersecretary of foreign affairs in our country.
This is not the first time that Guariglia has held an important post in the Farnesina. Before being appointed ambassador to Spain, he was chief of staff to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Enzo Moavero Milanesi, during the first government of Giussepe Conte. Prior to that he was ambassador to Warsaw.
The reception was attended by a large number of guests, including most of the ambassadors of the European Union and other European countries, including the ambassador of the United Kingdom. Also present were the ambassador of the United States, the ambassadors of India and South Korea, the ambassador of Tunisia and the ambassador of Azerbaijan, among others.
On behalf of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Director General for Western, Central and Southeast Europe, Raquel Gómez-Cambronero, and the Ambassador Introducer, María Sebastián de Erice, attended the ambassador’s farewell. Also in attendance was the Head of Protocol of the King’s Household, Bernardo de Lizaur, along with a distinguished group of businessmen, university professors and journalists.
The Minister Counsellor, Benedetto Giuntini, will remain in charge of the Embassy as Chargé d’Affaires until the appointment of a new ambassador, which is expected to take place soon, given the proximity of the Spanish Presidency of the European Union.
