Diego Cortes Asencio (July 15, 1931 – October 6, 2020) was an American diplomat who served as

United States Ambassador to Colombia The following is a list of ambassadors of the United States, or other chiefs of mission, to Colombia and its predecessor states. The title given by the United States State Department to this position is currently ''Ambassador Extraordinary and Mi ...

(1977–1980) and

United States Ambassador to Brazil The following is a list of ambassadors of the United States, or other chiefs of mission, to Brazil. The title given by the United States State Department to this position is currently Ambassador Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary. List ...

(1983–86). He was a member of the

American Academy of Diplomacy The American Academy of Diplomacy is a private, nonprofit, non-partisan, elected organization whose active membership is limited to men and women who have held positions of high responsibility in crafting and implementing American foreign policy. ...

and Council on Foreign Relations. In 1980 Asencio was – along with a dozen other diplomats – held hostage for 61 days when members of the guerrilla group

19th of April Movement The 19th of April Movement ( es, Movimiento 19 de Abril), or M-19, was a Colombian guerrilla organisation movement. After its demobilization it became a political party, the M-19 Democratic Alliance (), or AD/M-19. The M-19 traced its or ...

(M-19), led by Rosemberg Pabón, seized the

Dominican Republic The Dominican Republic ( ; es, República Dominicana, ) is a country located on the island of Hispaniola in the Greater Antilles archipelago of the Caribbean region. It occupies the eastern five-eighths of the island, which it shares with ...

's embassy in Bogotá.People, June 30, 1980
Hero Diplomat Diego Asencio Reflects on His 61 Perilous Days as a Hostage in Bogotá
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Books

* Diego Asencio (1983), ''Our Man Is Inside'', Little Brown,

References

Article, Washington Post, Dateline Bogota, Colombia, February 28, 1980, by Charles A Krause, "Envoy Takes Charge" U.S. Ambassador Wins Respect From All With Candor, Wit and Confident Manner

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Asencio, Diego C. 1931 births 2020 deaths Ambassadors of the United States to Brazil Ambassadors of the United States to Colombia Walsh School of Foreign Service alumni Hispanic and Latino American diplomats