Latin America Chief Resigns at State Dept.
WASHINGTON — Langhorne A. Motley, head of the State Department’s Latin America bureau, resigned Tuesday.
Secretary of State George P. Shultz said Elliott Abrams, who has headed the department’s human rights bureau since 1981, is being nominated to replace Motley.
Shultz said Motley asked to be relieved of his duties several months ago but agreed to stay on at the secretary’s request. Motley plans to return to private life.
Shultz told reporters that none of Motley’s predecessors had a more impressive record of achievement than the 46-year-old diplomat, who initially joined the Administration as ambassador to Brazil.
“He never gives up, he keeps coming back,” Shultz said, crediting Motley with aiding the consolidation of democratic rule in El Salvador and with the success of the American-led invasion of Grenada 18 months ago.
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