Todd D. Robinson

Todd D. Robinson (born c. 1963) is an American diplomat who currently works as a Senior Advisor for Central America in the Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs.

Todd D. Robinson
United States Ambassador to Venezuela
In office December 18, 2017 – May 22, 2018
President	Donald Trump
Preceded by	Larry Leon Palmer
Succeeded by	John Duddy
United States Ambassador to Guatemala
In office September 16, 2014 – September 20, 2017
President	Barack Obama, Donald Trump
Preceded by	Arnold A. Chacón
Succeeded by	Luis E. Arreaga
Personal details
Born	c. 1963 (age 57–58) Fanwood, New Jersey
Alma mater	Georgetown University

He was, until being expelled in May 2018, the charge d'affairs of the U.S. embassy in Venezuela.[1] He was previously the U.S. Ambassador to Guatemala from 2014 to 2017.[2]

Early life and education

Raised in Fanwood, New Jersey, Robinson graduated from Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School in 1981 and earned a Bachelor of Science in Foreign Service in 1985 from Georgetown University.[3]

Robinson can speak Spanish, Italian and Albanian.[3]

Consular career

Robinson joined the State Department in 1986, with his first postings to Colombia (in 1987) and El Salvador (in 1989). He returned to Washington in 1991, to work as watch officer at the operations center of the State Department. In 1993, Robinson was assigned to Rome, Italy as staff assistant to the ambassador at the time, Reginald Bartholomew and two years later was moved across the city to work as the political officer at the Embassy in Vatican City.[3]

1997 saw Robinson return to Latin America to work as political officer in the La Paz embassy, Bolivia until he was recalled in 1999 for a post as special assistant to the then Secretary of State, Madeleine Albright. The next year, he was sent to the Dominican Republic as deputy counselor for Political and Economic Affairs.[3]

After four years at the embassy in Santo Domingo, Robinson was again posted to Europe to work as chief of the Political and Economic Section of the Albanian embassy in Tirana. Two years later, Robinson left to work as consul general at the consulate in Barcelona, Spain.[3]

In 2009, he was posted to Guatemala as deputy chief of mission. He stayed until June 2011, when he was recalled to work in the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs in Washington.[3]

He was nominated for the ambassadorship of Guatemala by President Obama and confirmed on September 16, 2014.[2] He arrived in Guatemala City on October 10 the same year.[3]

In December 2017, Robinson was reassigned by President Trump to be charge d'affairs en pied at the embassy in Caracas, Venezuela. In January 2018, Robinson attempted to obtain the release of American citizen, Joshua Holt who had been jailed in the country by meeting with Venezuelan foreign minister, Jorge Arreaza.[4] On 22 May the same year, Robinson and his deputy, Brian Naranjo were expelled from the country as persona non grata by Nicolas Maduro, the newly re-elected president.[5] Days later, Joshua Holt was freed and allowed to return to the USA.[6]

References

1. Gurney, Kyra. "State Department to appoint new leader for U.S. embassy in Venezuela". Miami Herald. Retrieved 12 November 2018.
2. "Todd Robinson". U.S. Department of State. Retrieved 12 November 2018.
3. Straehley, Steve. "U.S. Ambassador to Guatemala: Who Is Todd Robinson?". AllGov. Retrieved 12 November 2018.
4. "U.S. Diplomat in Venezuela Raises Concern About Detained American". New York Times. Retrieved 12 November 2018.
5. Casey, Nicholas. "Nicolás Maduro Expels Top U.S. Diplomats from Venezuela". New York Times. Retrieved 12 November 2018.
6. "Joshua Holt case: US sanctions 'to stay' despite prisoner release". BBC. Retrieved 12 November 2018.