List of ambassadors of the United States to Latvia

The United States first established diplomatic relations with the Baltic states (Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia) in 1922. One ambassador, resident in Riga, Latvia, was appointed to all three nations. Relations with the three nations were broken after the Soviet invasion of the republics in 1940 at the beginning of World War II. The United States never recognized the legitimacy of the Soviet occupation of the Baltic states, nor the legitimacy of the governments of those states under Soviet occupation. Hence, full diplomatic relations were not resumed until 1992 after the collapse of the Soviet Union.

Ambassador of the United States to Latvia
Seal of the United States Department of State
Incumbent
Christopher T. Robinson
since February 21, 2023
NominatorThe President of the United States
AppointerThe President
with Senate advice and consent
Inaugural holderFrederick W.B. Coleman
as Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary
FormationSeptember 20, 1922
WebsiteU.S. Embassy - Riga

The U.S. Embassy in Latvia is located in Riga.

Ambassadors

U.S. diplomatic terms

Career FSO
After 1915, The United States Department of State began classifying ambassadors as career Foreign Service Officers (FSOs) for those who have served in the Foreign Service for a specified amount of time.

Political appointee
A person who is not a career foreign service officer, but is appointed by the president (often as a reward to political friends).

Appointed
The date that the ambassador took the oath of office; also known as "commissioning". It follows confirmation of a presidential appointment by the Senate, or a Congressional recess appointment by the president. In the case of a recess appointment, the ambassador requires subsequent confirmation by the Senate to remain in office.

Presented credentials
The date that the ambassador presented his letter of credence to the head of state or appropriate authority of the receiving nation. At this time the ambassador officially becomes the representative of his country. This would normally occur a short time after the ambassador's arrival on station. The host nation may reject the ambassador by not receiving the ambassador's letter, but this occurs only rarely.

Terminated mission
Usually the date that the ambassador left the country. In some cases a letter of recall is presented, ending the ambassador's commission, either as a means of diplomatic protest or because the diplomat is being reassigned elsewhere and replaced by another envoy.

Chargé d'affaires
The person in charge of the business of the embassy when there is no ambassador commissioned to the host country.

Ad interim
Latin phrase meaning "for the time being", "in the meantime".
Name Title Appointed Presented credentials Terminated mission Notes
Frederick W. B. Coleman[1] – Political appointee Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary September 20, 1922 November 13, 1922 October 20, 1931
Robert Peet Skinner[1][2] – Career FSO September 23, 1931 January 28, 1932 April 29, 1933
John Van Antwerp MacMurray[1][3] – Career FSO August 28, 1933 December 13, 1933 February 12, 1936
Arthur Bliss Lane[1] – Career FSO January 24, 1936 July 2, 1936 September 16, 1937
John C. Wiley[4][5] – Career FSO July 18, 1938 October 6, 1938 June 17, 1940
Soviet forces occupied Riga on June 17, 1940, which effectively ended the U.S. diplomatic presence in those nations. Ambassador Wiley departed Riga on July 25, 1940.[6] Earl L. Packer was serving as Chargé d'Affaires ad interim when all U.S. diplomatic officials were withdrawn and the legation in Riga was officially closed on September 5, 1940. Semi-official diplomatic relations continue until 1992 through the Latvian Diplomatic Service.
The United States announced its readiness to reestablish full relations with Latvia on September 2, 1991.[7] Embassy Riga was reestablished October 2, 1991 with Ints M. Siliņš as Chargé d'Affaires ad interim pending his appointment as ambassador.
Ints Siliņš – Career FSO Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary March 23, 1992 April 10, 1992 July 14, 1995
Larry C. Napper – Career FSO June 27, 1995 August 1, 1995 October 1, 1998
James Howard Holmes – Career FSO August 4, 1998 August 27, 1998 September 15, 2001
Brian E. Carlson – Career FSO November 5, 2001 December 4, 2001 December 6, 2004
Catherine Todd Bailey – Political appointee November 29, 2004[8] February 4, 2005 February 4, 2008
Charles W. Larson, Jr. – Political appointee January 7, 2008 February 12, 2008 January 20, 2009[9]
Judith G. Garber – Career FSO August 14, 2009 August 25, 2009 July 9, 2012
Mark Pekala – Career FSO July 10, 2012 September 4, 2012 August 7, 2014
Nancy Pettit – Career FSO July 29, 2015 September 8, 2015 July 14, 2019
John Carwile – Career FSO September 30, 2019 November 5, 2019 January 27, 2023[10]
Christopher T. Robinson - Career FSO December 13, 2022 February 21, 2023 Incumbent

Notes
  1. The ambassador was simultaneously accredited to Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia, while resident in Riga, Latvia.
  2. Skinner was commissioned during a recess of the Senate and recommissioned after confirmation on December 17, 1931.
  3. MacMurray was commissioned during a recess of the Senate and recommissioned after confirmation on January 15, 1934.
  4. The ambassador was simultaneously accredited to Estonia and Latvia, while resident in Riga.
  5. Wiley was commissioned during a recess of the Senate and recommissioned after confirmation on Jan 20, 1939.
  6. "U.S. Diplomatic Representatives to Estonia, 1919-1940" (PDF). U.S. Embassy in Estonia.
  7. "History of the U.S. and Estonia". U.S. Embassy in Estonia. Retrieved December 13, 2021.
  8. An earlier nomination of September 8, 2004 was not acted upon by the Senate.
  9. "Charles W. Larson Jr. - People - Department History - Office of the Historian".
  10. "U.S. Ambassador Carwile bids a fond farewell to Latvia".

See also

References
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