President Luis Abinader is set to host a pivotal ceremony this Wednesday, 19 November 2025 where he will formally receive the Letters of Credence from seven newly appointed ambassadors to the Dominican Republic. This act marks the final and official step by which the diplomats are recognized by the host country, enabling them to fully commence their diplomatic duties.
The roster of representatives scheduled to present their credentials includes a diverse group of envoys from allied nations and international organizations:
Raúl Fuentes Milani, representing the Delegation of the European Union.
Kishan Dan Dewal, representing the Republic of India.
Leah Francis Campos, from the United States of America.
John Petter Opdahl, from the Kingdom of Norway.
Zdeněk Kubánek, from the Czech Republic.
Vitali P. Barchuk, from the Republic of Belarus.
Enrique Antonio Valdez Aguiar, from the Sovereign and Military Order of Malta.
Organized by the Ministry of Foreign Relations and State Protocol, the ceremony will take place in the Ambassadors’ Hall of the Presidential Palace. There, the President will officially welcome the new heads of mission, receiving the documents that certify them as the official representatives of their respective governments.
The biographies of the ambassadors that will be presenting letters of credence are:
Delegation of the European Union: Raúl Fuentes Milani
Raúl Fuentes Milani is a Spanish career diplomat with extensive experience in both the Spanish diplomatic service and the European External Action Service (EEAS).
Key Roles: He has served twice in the Spanish Permanent Representation to the EU, including chairing the Permanent Representative’s Committee during the Spanish Presidency of the Council in 2023.
EU experience: His previous posts in the European Institutions include being the EU Ambassador to Namibia and the Head of Division for Israel, the Occupied Palestinian Territories, and the Middle East Peace process at the EEAS headquarters.
Spanish service: Within the Spanish government, he held positions like Deputy Director General for Southern and Central Europe and Deputy Director General for Institutional Affairs, where he was the national focal point for the Brexit negotiations.
Republic of India: Kishan Dan Dewal
Ambassador Kishan Dan Dewal is a career diplomat who joined the Indian Foreign Service in 2003.
Previous ambassadorship: Before his current assignment, he served as the Ambassador of India to Armenia & Georgia (August 2019 to February 2023).
Headquarters experience: At the Ministry of External Affairs in India, he served as the Joint Secretary (Counter-Terrorism), leading bilateral and multilateral counter-terrorism dialogues and setting India’s global counter-terrorism agenda.
Other Postings: He has also served in diplomatic capacities in the Russian Federation, Uzbekistan, and Mauritius.
Personal: He holds Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from Rajasthan University and is an avid hiker, marathon runner, and mountaineer.
United States of America: Leah Francis Campos
Ambassador Leah Francis Campos is a foreign policy advisor with a background in intelligence and government.
Government service: Early in her career, she served as a Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) officer for over ten years.
Congressional role: From 2013 to 2019, she was a Senior Advisor on the US House Committee on Foreign Affairs, where she was the lead Republican staff member for policy issues concerning Latin America and the Caribbean. She also served concurrently as Staff Director of the Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere.
Private sector: Before her ambassadorship, she worked as a Senior Strategic Adviser at SAS Institute, a multinational data and AI company.
Education: She holds a B.S. in Political Science from Arizona State University and an M.A. in Public and International Affairs from the University of Pittsburgh. She is proficient in Spanish.
Kingdom of Norway: John Petter Opdahl
John Petter Opdahl is a seasoned Norwegian diplomat with extensive experience in the Americas.
Ambassadorial Experience: He previously served as the Ambassador of Norway to Cuba (2011–2016) and as the Ambassador to Colombia (2018–2022).
Current accreditation: He is an Ambassador-Designate with residence in Havana, Cuba, and is accredited concurrently to several Caribbean countries, including the Dominican Republic.
Recent role: Before his latest assignments, he held a Senior Advisor role at the Norwegian Ministry for Foreign Affairs.
Republic of Czechia: Zdeněk Kubánek
Zdeněk Kubánek is a Czech diplomat with a long career focused on international relations and Latin America.
Extensive Latin America Experience: His posts have frequently involved the region, including serving as the Ambassador to Chile (2008–2014) and holding roles in the embassies in Argentina, Uruguay, and with the Latin America and Caribbean desk at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Prague.
Career focus: He has significant experience in commercial diplomacy and trade, starting his career with a foreign trade company and serving as a commercial delegate in embassies in Asia and Latin America.
Education: He studied at the University of Economics in Prague, specializing in foreign trade. He speaks Spanish, English, German, and Russian.
Republic of Belarus: Vitali P. Barchuk
Vitali P. Barchuk is the Ambassador of Belarus, with his primary residence and mission often located outside of the Dominican Republic, serving as a non-resident ambassador.
Current Accreditation: He is the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Belarus to the Republic of Cuba, and is concurrently accredited to the Dominican Republic.
Focus: 2026 will mark the 25th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
Sovereign and Military Order of Malta: Enrique Antonio Valdez Aguiar
Enrique Antonio Valdez Aguiar is a Dominican professional and businessman with a distinguished career who has pivoted towards humanitarian and spiritual service.
Professional background: He has over four decades of experience in the insurance sector, holding high-level management and trade association representative positions.
Humanitarian focus: He is an active member of the Dominican Association of the Order of Malta, where he has promoted initiatives to support vulnerable people.
Read more in Spanish:
Presidency
Noticias SIN
19 November 2025