US president-elect Donald Trump has announced that Peter Lamelas will be the United States' next ambassador to Argentina.
Lamelas, 66, is a veteran doctor and Republican Party donor. He will replace Marc Stanley, Washington’s current envoy in Buenos Aires, once his nomination has passed a confirmation hearing.
‘I am pleased to announce that Dr Peter Lamelas, MD, MBA, will serve as our United States Ambassador to Argentina,” wrote Trump in a post on his Truth Social social network.
“Peter is a physician, philanthropist, and an incredible businessman, best known for founding the largest urgent care healthcare company in Florida. As a child, Peter and his family fled communist Cuba, and legally immigrated to the USA, starting with nothing, and achieving the American Dream,” continued the post.
“I previously appointed him to serve on the Department of Justice's Medal of Valor Review Board, which honors the courage of our nation's incredible first responders. He has served on the Florida Board of Medicine, and as a Town Commissioner in Manalapan, Florida,” concluded Trump.
Lamelas has already met Argentina’s President Javier Milei, sharing a few moments with him when Argentina’s leader visited Trump last month at the president-elect’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida. Photographs of the encounter emerged online this week.
The nominee responded with great enthusiasm. “Mr President, thank you for this incredible honour. The world sees it clearly: America is back because Donald J. Trump is back,” he wrote on the X social network. “Under your leadership, the US-Argentina relationship will achieve greatness like never before. MAGA!”
In recent days, Lamelas has used social media to detail some of his family history. Describing himself as a “Cuban refugee who escaped communism,” he said he had bore witness to the “devastation of socialism.”
“It is not just inefficient; it is cruel and deceitful. Leaders like Trump and Milei, with their remorseless vision, are rejecting the failed policies of the past and building a new era of simplified government and growth – for Argentina, America, and freedom-loving democracies around the world,” he wrote.
Lamelas has more than two decades of experience in emergency medicine and emergency medical services, according to local media. The founder and former CEO of MD Now Urgent Care, one of Florida's largest urgent care networks, he is seen as a successful entrepreneur in the healthcare industry.
In addition, he served on the Board of Directors of the Urgent Care Association of America and was a member of the Florida Board of Medicine, appointed by former Governor Jeb Bush. He played an active role in the community as a city commissioner in Manalapan, Florida, and has worked with several non-profit organisations in South Florida, according to reports.
Lamelas' appointment highlights not only his professional credentials, but also his personal story. He was born in Cuba and emigrated to the United States with his family to escape the communist regime. This exodus, so common among Cuban refugees during the second half of the 20th century, has profoundly shaped his view of the freedom and opportunities offered by the United States.
US media reports that the family arrived in the country without significant resources, starting from scratch and working hard to integrate and prosper, an experience Lamelas has described in previous interviews as the true “American dream.”
Lamelas has previously recounted on numerous occasions how this experience taught him to value freedom and to distrust political systems that limit individual freedom and opportunity. He is seen as a good fit to balance the relationship with Milei, who he has previously voiced support for online.
His personal history as a survivor of communism reinforces his conviction that economic freedom and limited government are fundamental to the development of nations.
In a recent social media post, Lamelas described Milei as “a leader on a mission to liberate his country from decades of socialism and mismanagement.”
“Like President Trump, Milei understands that prosperity begins with smaller, more efficient government,” said the future ambassador to Argentina.
– TIMES
