Alejandro Hamed Franco is the Syria

Syria

Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....

n-origin Paraguay

Paraguay

Paraguay , officially the Republic of Paraguay , is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to the east and northeast, and Bolivia to the northwest. Paraguay lies on both banks of the Paraguay River, which runs through the center of the...

an politician who was appointed foreign minister

Foreign minister

A Minister of Foreign Affairs, or foreign minister, is a cabinet minister who helps form the foreign policy of a sovereign state. The foreign minister is often regarded as the most senior ministerial position below that of the head of government . It is often granted to the deputy prime minister in...

 by President

President of Paraguay

The President of Paraguay is according to the Paraguayan Constitution the Chief of the Executive branch of the Government of Paraguay...

 Fernando Lugo

Fernando Lugo

Fernando Armindo Lugo Méndez is the current President of Paraguay and a former Roman Catholic bishop of the Diocese of San Pedro.-Early life:...

, a term he served between 2008 - 2009. He is currently nominated to be the Paraguayan ambassador to Uruguay.

Political career

In 2008 he was controversially appointed the Foreign Minister of Paraguay by incoming president Fernando Lugo. The United States had him on a blacklist from entereing their country or flying on one of they aircraft. After leaving the post in 2009, he was ambassador to Venezuela. As of 2010, he is nominated to become the ambassador to Uruguay.

Foreign policy

He was said to have "expressed sympathy" for Hugo Chávez

Hugo Chávez

Hugo Rafael Chávez Frías is the 56th and current President of Venezuela, having held that position since 1999. He was formerly the leader of the Fifth Republic Movement political party from its foundation in 1997 until 2007, when he became the leader of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela...

, and been an advocate of the Palestinian cause (a move that caused consternation in the United States).

During his tenure as foreign minister, there were concerns that Paraguay would break ties with Taiwan in favour of China, this was controversial because Paraguay was the only country in South America to recognise Taiwan.

During a visit to Jordan, he discussed with his counterpart the Middle East process. He has also visited Qatar. During a visit to Iran, he told his counterpart that Paraguay was willing to make "mature economic, industrial and agricultural cooperation with Iran." He also said Paraguay would support Venezuela's entry into Mercosur

Mercosur

Mercosur or Mercosul is an economic and political agreement among Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay. Founded in 1991 by the Treaty of Asunción, which was later amended and updated by the 1994 Treaty of Ouro Preto. Its purpose is to promote free trade and the fluid movement of goods, people,...

. After Barack Obama

Barack Obama

Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...

's inauguration as US President he said Lugo hoped ties with the US would secure, particularly in the economic field.

He also signed an agreement with the US ambassador to Paraguay, Liliana Ayalde, to amend the Narcotics and Money Laundering Agreement. The new agreement would be used to combat drug trafficking with the US offering US$253,000.