In an ordinary cabinet session, the Council of Ministers approved the appointment of Ximo Puig, the former president of the Valencian Generalitat, as the new permanent ambassador delegate to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). He will take over from Manuel Escudero Zamora, the former PSOE leader who previously held the post.
Puig’s appointment comes one day after he stepped down from his seat as a senator on Monday afternoon. The current secretary-general of the PSPV-PSOE submitted his resignation to the post he had held since last July after losing the presidency of the Valencian government, according to sources familiar with the matter who spoke to Europa Press.
Puig sent a letter to the president of Les Corts, Llanos Massó, announcing his resignation from the territorial senate seat: “I want to express gratitude to the chamber you preside over and extend that appreciation to the deputies who form it for the honor of representing our territory in the Senate during the early months of this legislature,” he stated.
“I hope we continue working, from the autonomous communities, to transform the Senate into a genuine chamber of territorial representation that helps a better understanding of the diverse voices within Spain and meets the territorial and social cohesion of our society,” he added.
Puig will cease to be the secretary-general of the Valencian socialists officially at the congressional gathering in late March, where Diana Morant will be proclaimed secretary-general after becoming the sole candidate to secure the necessary endorsements.
Political Ambassadors
Thus, the Valencia region’s former president’s appointment to the OECD office follows the recent postings of Héctor Gómez and Miquel Iceta as Spain’s permanent representatives to the United Nations in New York and to UNESCO, respectively. Diplomats expressed disappointment at the absence of international resumes for some choices, arguing that such posts require a technical profile. They also warned about the potential impact on Spain’s image if politicians dominate these high-profile postings.
Also noted is the former health minister Carmen Montón, who was named representative to the Organization of American States (OAS) in Washington, while Manuel Escudero Zamora, taking over from Puig, serves in the OECD. In addition, former Education Minister Isabel Celáa is named ambassador to the Holy See and Ángel Martín Peccis serves in Cuba.
(Source: Europa Press)