The Andes - Venezuela
The Latin America Department (LAD) is one of the three departments within the Foreign & Commonwealth Office’s Americas & Overseas Territories Directorate. LAD’s aim is to raise the UK’s profile in Latin America, promote British interests there, and deliver FCO objectives in the region.
We also aim to have a lively, proactive and well-informed relationship with all the countries of the region, with clear well thought out and well delivered policies.
This means providing a high quality service to our customers:
- Government Ministers - with prompt and accurate policy advice, briefs and speaking notes.
- Our diplomatic missions overseas – with focussed support as their home department in London and clear instructions on action required in the region.
- Other FCO departments – with a distinct Latin American input into FCO-wide policy.
- Other parts of Government – with FCO advice on Latin American affairs for fully joined-up government.
- Latin American diplomatic missions in London – with a helpful service as friend, facilitator and first point of contact in the UK.
- MPs, members of the public, NGOs, academic, business and other contacts – with up-to-date and professional advice and dialogue on UK interests in the region, including through our involvement with the FCO website.
LAD has responsibility for relations with 18 countries. It also has responsibility for relations with a number of regional bodies, such as the Organisation of American States (OAS) and Mercosur (Common Market of the south).
Angel Falls - Venezuela
Our job is to promote friendly and productive bilateral and multilateral relationships with the countries of the region. We work with Latin American governments in pursuit of FCO objectives. In particular:
- to support stability and security in the region through the maintenance of democratic institutions, good governance and the rule of law; with Latin American governments on international issues;
- to promote respect for human rights throughout the region; to share our experiences of conflict resolution/ peace processes with local governments;
- to explain British policies and viewpoints to Latin American governments and their peoples;
- to enhance dialogue and co-operation and to influence policy in Latin America on countering the menace of drugs, terrorism and international crime;
- to promote effective international action to protect the environment; to promote British goods and services and enhance trade with the region;
- to provide advice and help in Latin America to British nationals; to issue visas in the region to people wanting to come to United Kingdom.
We would welcome feedback from the members of the public on the information provided here.
Please send any comments or suggestions to: latin.america@fco.gov.uk