Closure of Embassy in St Kitts-Nevis is permanent, says Brazil's Foreign Minister

The Embassy of Brazil will close permanently. despite a statement from the Office of St Kitts and Nevis' Prime Minister Dr Timothy Harris on May 22, 2019 that the diplomatic post will close temporary.

"His Excellency Wanderley de Vasconcellos’ tenure as Ambassador of the Federative Republic of Brazil to St. Kitts and Nevis comes to an end with the temporary closure of the Brazilian Embassy in Basseterre," the press release from Dr Harris' office said on May 22, 2019.

However on June 5, Brazil confirmed the permanent closure of its embassy in St Kitts and Nevis.

Brazil’s Foreign Minister Ernesto Araujo made the official confirmation Wednesday through a press release to the media that the Embassy in St Kitts and Nevis is among five that are being closed. The four others are in Dominica, Antigua and Barbuda, Grenada and St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

His stated justification for the closures was based on “adjusting foreign policy needs to the realities of our resources, both human and financial.”

According to the Itamaraty, the embassies in Roseau and St John's, capital cities of Dominica and Antigua and Barbuda have already been closed.

"The other delegations are in the process of closing," according to the note sent to the press by the Brazilian foreign ministry.

It said the closures “will not diminish bilateral relations,” assuring that Brazil’s interests “will be covered by other diplomatic missions in the region that are already prepared or can be optimized to take over new duties.”

In 1985, The Embassy of Brazil in Georgetown, Guyana, was in charge of the representation of Brazilian interests in St Kitts and Nevis.

In 2004, Brazilian interests in St Kitts and Nevis begun being represented by the Embassy of Brazil in Bridgetown, Barbados.

In 2005, The Prime Minister of St Kitts and Nevis, the Right Hon Dr Denzil L Douglas visited Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, in the CARICOM mission which resulted in cooperation projects in the area of HIV/AIDS prevention, care and treatment.

In 2008, St Kitts and Nevis participated in the Summit of Latin America and the Caribbean on Integration and Development (CALC) in Costa do Sauipe – BA

In 2009, the Embassy of Brazil in St Kitts and Nevis, based in the capital, Basseterre was created an opened in 2010.

In 2010, the Prime Minister of St Kitts and Nevis, the Rt Hon Dr Denzil L Douglas visited Brazil during the First Summit Brazil-Caribbean Community (CARICOM) in Brasilia.

In 2012, the Prime Minister of St Kitts and Nevis headed the delegation of his country to the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20) and in 2013, the Foreign Minister of Brazil, His Excellency, Antonio Patriota met his counterpart from St Kitts and Nevis during the 43rd General Assembly of the Organization of American States (OAS) and held talks with Prime Minister Douglas at Government Headquarters and with Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hon Sam Condor at the Brazilian Embassy.