US Assistant Secretary of State Arturo Valenzuela tenders resignation

US Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs Arturo Valenzuela will leave his post and return to the academic activities, according to what sources from the US State Department told the news agency AFP.

Valenzuela, professor at Georgetown University, had a two-year permission to take office as the assistant secretary in November 2009, and decided to return to the university.

Although the exact date has not been announced, sources said that he will quit during the summer.

Political Science professor and director until 2009 of the Latin American Centre of Studies of Georgetown University, Valenzuela was a special counsellor of President Clinton’s second administration over the Latin American region (1997-2001).

The Chilean official was designated by US President Barack Obama on May 12 2009 and took office on November 10 after a long process at the Senate.