C. Allan Stewart

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C. Allan Stewart
US Ambassador to Venezuela
In office
February 9, 1962 – November 28, 1964
PresidentJohn F. Kennedy
Lyndon B. Johnson
Preceded byTeodoro Moscoso
Succeeded byMaurice M. Bernbaum
Personal details
Born(1907-01-27)January 27, 1907
DiedFebruary 23, 1973(1973-02-23) (aged 66)
Alma materUniversity of Arizona

Charles Allan[1] Stewart (January 27, 1907–February 23, 1973) was an American journalist and diplomat. From 1962 to 1964, Stewart was the US Ambassador to Venezuela.[2]

Early life and journalist career

Stewart was born in Florence, Arizona. He graduated with a bachelor's degree from the University of Arizona in 1929.[3][4] During his junior and senior years as a college student, Stewart worked for a newspaper in Tuscon. After his graduation, Stewart worked as a reporter in Arizona and California, in Tuscon, Nogales, Salinas, and Berlingame.[3]

In 1936, he was hired by the Associated Press (AP). Originally assigned to San Francisco, Stewart was sent to New York in 1941 to work on the Latin American desk. In 1942, Stewart was assigned as AP's Chief of the Bogotá Bureau. Only a year later, he was transferred to Caracas to head the AP desk there. He stayed in Caracas for three years, ending his journalist career in 1946.[3]

Stewart joined the Foreign Service in 1947.[5] He served tours in Cuba, Chile, and Costa Rica.[4] In Costa Rica, Stewart was the Deputy Chief of Mission.[6] He was also the Deputy Director of the Office of Middle American Affairs from 1956 until September 1958.[7] He was then promoted to Director of the Office of Central American Affairs, from September 1958 to August 1960.

Venezuela

John F. Kennedy visits the US Embassy in Caracas. Teodoro Moscoso, Ambassador, is in the middle, and Stewart, Chargé d'affairs is on the right.

In 1960, Stewart was Counselor to the Embassy in Caracas.[5] He then became Deputy Chief of Mission in Venezuela before he was promoted Chargé d'affairs. He was made chargé after Teodoro Moscoso left to head the Alliance for Progress.[8] In 1962, Stewart was promoted from chargé to ambassador, a rare case. While Stewart was still chargé, John F. and Jacqueline Kennedy visited Caracas to show support for the democratically elected President Betancourt and to promote the Alliance for Progress. After the successful visit, Stewart was extended the position as US Ambassador to Venezuela.[8][9] The Kennedy administration felt that a good relationship with Rómulo Betancourt was vital to ensuring good US–Venezuela relations despite certain Venezuelan political parties' support of communism in Cuba.[8][10] Stewart had a good relationship with Betancourt even before he became the President of Venezuela in 1958, thanks to his time as a reporter in Caracas.[8] Betancourt was also a reporter around the same time and they had a good working relationship.[10] Betancourt also reportedly personally asked officials at Washington for the appointment of Stewart as ambassador.[11]

The 1963 election in Venezuela was a difficult time for the Department employees working in the country. Colonel James K. Chenault, a military attaché at the embassy, was kidnapped by guerillas and held for eight days before being released, unharmed.[12][13] The guerillas mistakenly believed that Chenault was related to General Claire Lee Chennault. After being taken by surprise by the kidnapping of Chenault, US embassy and Venezuelan police were more vigilant to stop further kidnappings and break-ins to embassy houses. Stewart explained later that there was a "permanent conspiracy to kidnap [him]."[12] He therefore had a permanent guard with a police officer always in his car and two police patrol cars following him at all times. During the season ramping up to the election, Stewart ran the political office similarly to a newspaper: instructing junior officers to listen and take notes on political leaders and events without getting directly involved.[12]

Near the end of his time as ambassador, Stewart was brought to Andrews Air Force Base Hospital due to a serious heart condition.[14]

Return to Washington

In late 1964, Stewart was transferred back to Washington, D.C. as a Special Advisor to the Office of Regional American Affairs.[15] Only a short while later, in November of 1965, Stewart was promoted to Director for the Office of Caribbean Affairs.[16] As head of the Office of Caribbean Affairs, Stewart was charged with US relations with the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, and Puerto Rico.[17] On July 1, 1966, Stewart retired from the Foreign Service.[18]

In 1968, Stewart was dispatched to San José to address Washington's concerns over Pepe Figueres' alleged ties to the Soviet Union.[19] Stewart was chosen to directly confront Figueres because they were long time friends after Stewart was a Counselor of Embassy in San José before he was transferred to Venezuela.[20][21]

Death

Stewart died in 1973 at the age of 66. He had a heart attack while golfing at Caracas Country Club.[4][22] Stewart's wife, Marion Selby Stewart, was murdered during a robbery five years after his death.[23][24]

References

  1. ^ Sometimes misspelled as Allen
  2. ^ "Charles Allen Stewart (1907–1973)". Office of the Historian.
  3. ^ a b c Press Releases. United States Department of State.
  4. ^ a b c "C. ALLAN STEW ART, ENVOY TO CARACAS". The New York Times. 1973-02-24. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2024-07-17.
  5. ^ a b "Stewart Resigns Venezuela Post". State Department Newsletter: 28. December 1964 – via Hathitrust.
  6. ^ "Memorandum by the Assistant Secretary of State for Inter-American Affairs (Cabot) to the Acting Secretary of State". Foreign Relations of the United States, 1952–1954, the American Republics. 4. September 17, 1953 – via Office of the Historian.
  7. ^ "List of Persons". Foreign Relations of the United States, 1955–1957, American Republics: Multilateral; Mexico; Caribbean. 4. 1987 – via Office of the Historian.
  8. ^ a b c d Heyniger, Lambert (April 13, 1998). Interview with Peter P. Lord. Association for Diplomatic Studies and Training.
  9. ^ Loftus, Joseph A. (1961-12-30). "Ambassador to Caracas Named; Was Charge d'Affaires There; C. Allan Stewart Is Promoted -- Gen. Cabell Resigns as Deputy Head of C.I.A." The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2024-07-17.
  10. ^ a b Kennedy, Charles Stuart (February 12, 2007). Interview with Patrick F. Morris (PDF). The Association for Diplomatic Studies and Training.
  11. ^ Kennedy, Charles Stuart (January 11, 1999). Interview with Theodore S. Wilkinson. The Association for Diplomatic Studies and Training.
  12. ^ a b c Hackman, Larry J. "Stewart, C(harles) Allan: Oral History Interview - JFK #1, 10/23/1967 | JFK Library". www.jfklibrary.org. Retrieved 2024-07-17.
  13. ^ "Venezuelan Terrorists Kidnap U.S. Colonel and Threaten Him". The New York Times. 1964-10-10. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2024-07-17.
  14. ^ "C. Allen Stewart Is III". The New York Times. 1964-07-15. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2024-07-16.
  15. ^ "32 Former Chiefs of Missions Serve in Varying Capacities". State Department Newsletter: 19. April 1965 – via Hathitrust.
  16. ^ "Notes on Bureau Activities". State Department Newsletter: 56. November 1965 – via Hathitrust.
  17. ^ "Three Key Posts Upgraded In Inter-American Affairs". State Department Newsletter: 18. December 1965 – via Hathitrust.
  18. ^ "Notes on Bureau Activities". State Department Newsletter: 60. August 1966 – via Hathitrust.
  19. ^ TIME (1971-03-08). "COSTA RICA: Freelance Diplomacy". TIME. Retrieved 2024-07-17.
  20. ^ "Memorandum From Director of Central Intelligence Helms to the President's Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger)". Foreign Relations of the United States, 1969–1976. E-10 (Documents on American Republics, 1969–1972). Office of the Historian. November 17, 1970.
  21. ^ "167a. Editorial Note". Foreign Relations of the United States, 1969–1976. E-10 (Documents on American Republics, 1969–1972). 2009 – via Office of the Historian.
  22. ^ "Venezuelan oasis of elitism counts its days". The Seattle Times. 2010-12-28. Retrieved 2024-07-17.
  23. ^ TIME (1978-12-18). "VENEZUELA: Ad". TIME. Retrieved 2024-07-17.
  24. ^ "Marion (Selby) Stewart (1908-1978) | WikiTree FREE Family Tree". www.wikitree.com. 1908-05-23. Retrieved 2024-07-17.
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