Renewal of Spanish ambassadors in Ukraine, Panama, Serbia, Latvia, and Tonga

Adela Díaz (Ukraine); Ricardo Díez-Hochleitner (Latvia); Moisés Morera (Panama); Ander Ruiz de Gopegui (Serbia); and Luis Alfonso Sánchez-Vellisco (Tonga) are the appointees

Spain will post Adela Díaz Bernárdez as its new ambassador to Kyiv. / Photo: krblokhin / iStock

Spain will post Adela Díaz Bernárdez as its new ambassador to Kyiv. / Photo: krblokhin / iStock

The Government approved a new round of diplomatic appointments at its meeting on July 28. The Council of Ministers appointed new ambassadors for Ukraine, Latvia, Panama, Serbia, and Tonga, in a renewal that adds to the appointment approved at the end of June for the Embassy of Spain in Thailand. The appointments were published in the BOE on July 29 through the corresponding royal decrees.

Among the new appointments is Adela Díaz Bernárdez, appointed ambassador of Spain to Ukraine. Díaz Bernárdez, a career diplomat, was until now the deputy head of the Permanent Representation of Spain to NATO in Brussels and has also held various positions in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and in international organizations. 

As the new ambassador to Latvia, Ricardo Díez-Hochleitner Cousteau has been appointed, who until now held the position of chief of staff of the Secretary of State for the European Union. Throughout his career, Díez-Hochleitner has worked in European institutions, the European External Action Service, and in various postings abroad. 

Moisés Morera Martín, for his part, has been appointed the new ambassador of Spain to Panama. Morera Martín holds a law degree from the University of Deusto, a master’s in International Trade and Politics from Georgetown University, and a doctorate in International Relations from the Pontifical University of Comillas. Until his appointment, he served as the Programming Director of the Consortium of the Casa de América in Madrid and has an extensive career in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union, and Cooperation. 

Another of the appointments approved at that same meeting was that of Ander Ruiz de Gopegui Aramburu as ambassador of Spain to Serbia. 

The BOE also published the designation of Luis Alfonso Sánchez-Vellisco Sánchez as ambassador of Spain to the Kingdom of Tonga, residing in Wellington.

These changes add to the appointment of Manuel Nuche Bascón as ambassador of Spain to Thailand, approved by Royal Decree of June 29, 2026, and published in the BOE the following day.