The United States Embassy in Costa Rica has a new Chargé d’Affaires after Gloria Berbena, the former diplomat in charge, announced her departure last week.
Marcos Mandojana, described by the State Department as “a career member of the Senior Foreign Service,” will lead the U.S. Embassy until a permanent Ambassador is approved by the Senate.
“After 3 years in this beautiful country, the time has come to say goodbye to Costa Rica,” Berbena said. “It has been a pleasure being the Chargé d’Affaires for the last 7 months. I leave the diplomatic headquarters in the excellent hands of Marcos Mandojana to give continuity to the relationship between the United States and Costa Rica. Pura Vida!”
Mandojana was born in Puerto Rico and speaks Spanish, English, Portuguese, French, Turkish and “some” Tagalog, the Embassy says.
U.S. President Joe Biden in June nominated Dr. Cynthia Ann Telles for the position of U.S. Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Costa Rica.
The United States Constitution allows the president to nominate ambassadors, who are approved “by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate.”
Among her many other previous roles in healthcare, Telles was appointed by President Obama to the White House Commission on Presidential Scholars (2010-2017).
She earned her doctorate in clinical psychology from Boston University and has written numerous publications about mental health in Hispanic and other underserved populations, according to her website.
The previous U.S. Ambassador, appointed by President Donald Trump, was Sharon Day.
