C. Allan Stewart

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

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. During his junior and senior years as a college student, Stewart worked for a newspaper in Tucson. After his graduation, Stewart worked as a reporter in Arizona and California, in Tucson, Nogales, Salinas, and Berlingame. He served tours in Cuba, Chile, and Costa Rica. He was also the Deputy Director of the Office of Middle American Affairs from 1956 until September 1958. 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. 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. 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. 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.

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. 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]."

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. Only a short while later, in November 1965, Stewart was promoted to Director for the Office of Caribbean Affairs. 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. On July 1, 1966, Stewart retired from the Foreign Service.

In 1968, Stewart was dispatched to San José to address Washington's concerns over Pepe Figueres' alleged ties to the Soviet Union. 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.

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