Mario Israel Lubetkin Tulbovic (born 1958) is a Uruguayan journalist, specializing in

sustainable development Sustainable development is an approach to growth and Human development (economics), human development that aims to meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.United Nations General ...

. He is currently serving as Minister of Foreign Relations in the government of

Yamandú Orsi Yamandú Ramón Antonio Orsi Martínez (born 13 June 1967) is a Uruguayan politician and history teacher who has been the 43rd president of Uruguay since March 2025. A member of the left-wing Movement of Popular Participation, the main faction ...

Career

As a teenager, Lubetkin joined the youth wing of the Communist Party of Uruguay, leading to him being exiled to

Italy Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...

at 16 years old; he returned to Uruguay following the end of the civic-military dictatorship. Lubetkin has been active at Inter Press Service since 1977, and served as its director from 2002 to 2014. He lectured Communications in Foreign Relations and Development at the IULM University of Milan, and directed seminars in Communication for Development at Menéndez Pelayo International University. In 2014 he was appointed director for Institutional Communication at the

Food and Agriculture Organization The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations; . (FAO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations that leads international efforts to defeat hunger and improve nutrition and food security. Its Latin motto, , translates ...

. A year later he became the director of the Director-General's cabinet and in 2017 he was appointed assistant director general of that organization. In 2022, Qu Dongyu appointed Lubetkin to the post of regional representative for Latin America and the Caribbean. Lubetkin also contributed as a columnist to the newspaper '' la diaria''. Lubetkin was appointed Minister of Foreign Relations on 1 March 2025. He is affiliated with the Broad Front coalition, but is not an active member of any party.

Personal life

Lubetkin is

Jewish Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of History of ancient Israel and Judah, ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, rel ...

. His father was Ukrainian and his mother Lithuanian, both having immigrated to Uruguay at a young age; they were described by Lubetkin as Jews "with a progressive vision." Lubetkin holds triple nationality, also being a citizen of Italy and

Lithuania Lithuania, officially the Republic of Lithuania, is a country in the Baltic region of Europe. It is one of three Baltic states and lies on the eastern shore of the Baltic Sea, bordered by Latvia to the north, Belarus to the east and south, P ...

Honours and awards

References

External links

* * 1958 births Living people Uruguayan people of Ukrainian descent Uruguayan people of Lithuanian-Jewish descent Jewish Uruguayan politicians Uruguayan journalists Alternative journalists Food and Agriculture Organization officials Academic staff of the IULM University of Milan Uruguayan diplomats Ministers of foreign relations of Uruguay Commanders of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic {{Uruguay-diplomat-stub