Charles S. Shapiro

Charles Samuel Shapiro (born May 30, 1949) is an American diplomat (serving since 1977 in a variety of capacities, primarily relating to Latin America) and a former U.S. ambassador to Venezuela (2002 - 2004). He was President of the Institute of the Americas from October 2011 to July 2014, when Ambassador Shapiro was named the President of the World Affairs Council of Atlanta.

Education Shapiro has degrees from the University of Pennsylvania (1971) and Georgia State University (1977), and served in the United States Coast Guard Reserve (1971–1977).

Career His career includes assignments abroad, including Deputy Chief of Mission in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago (1991–1994) and in Santiago, Chile (1995–1998). From 1983 to 1988, Shapiro worked on El Salvador, first as Desk Officer in Washington (1983–1985) and then as Political Counselor in San Salvador (1985–1988). Other assignments include "Division Chief for South America" in the Bureau for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (then called the Bureau of International Narcotics Matters), 1990–1991. Shapiro was accused of participating in the coup, with some stating that a meeting with interim president Pedro Carmona Estanga one day after the coup. Shapiro and other U.S. sources have denied this and claim that he urged Carmona to reinstitute the dissolved National Assembly.

Awards and recognition