The Diplomat
Bosnia and Herzegovina is the third Spanish embassy abroad to be left without an ambassador due to the retirement of its head, after the Official State Gazette published the resignation of José María Valdemoro on the 24th of this month, as he reached the age of 70.
Two other embassies have been vacant for some time now, as the replacements for their respective ambassadors, who have also reached the age of 70, the retirement age, have not been appointed. These are the Embassies in India and the United Kingdom.
Monserrat Moman has been in charge of the Embassy in New Delhi as Chargé d’Affaires since the retirement of Ambassador José Ramón Barañano five months ago, on 28 October.
As for London, Carlos Bastarreche resigned, at his own request, as ambassador on 2 February, after the government decided to extend his stay in the post for a further two months, having reached retirement at the end of November 2020. José María Fernández López de Turiso has been Chargé d’Affaires since he stepped down.
Despite the importance of these last two embassies – the one in India, mainly for economic reasons, and the one in the United Kingdom, due to the scenario that has opened up after Brexit – the government has not yet taken the decision to fill the ambassadorial vacancies.
The delay in filling these vacancies is causing surprise in Spanish diplomatic circles, where it is pointed out that the situation does not create a good image of Spain’s regard for these countries either, since, as far as is known, no approval has been requested from the Indian and British authorities to appoint a new ambassador.
In May, two other embassies may be left without an ambassador, as their incumbents will also reach retirement age. These are Iran, where the ambassador, Luis Felipe Fernández de la Peña, will turn 70 on 19 May, and Russia, where the incumbent, Fernando Valderrama, will do so on 23 May.
