Carlos Vecchio

Carlos Vecchio is a Venezuelan lawyer, public policy expert, and former Ambassador to the United States (2019–2023), designated during Venezuela’s presidential crisis. From exile, he became a leading international advocate for democratic restoration, focusing on human rights, humanitarian relief, and global engagement on Venezuela. Vecchio played a central role in shaping U.S. and multilateral policy toward Venezuela. He led efforts to secure bipartisan support in Washington, contributing to the unanimous passage of the first U.S. law supporting the Venezuelan people. He also helped advance targeted sanctions against the Maduro regime and positioned the United States as the primary donor of humanitarian assistance to Venezuela. During his tenure, Vecchio led the legal and strategic process to protect CITGO, Venezuela’s most important asset abroad, and coordinated initiatives addressing the Venezuelan migration crisis in the U.S., including the achievement of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) and Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) for Venezuelans. He also strengthened Venezuela’s representation across key institutions, including the Organization of American States, think tanks, and universities. Vecchio holds a Master in Public Administration from Harvard Kennedy School, an LL.M. from Georgetown University, and a postgraduate degree in Tax Law from the Central University of Venezuela. He was also a Yale World Fellow. Earlier in his career, he worked as a tax lawyer and held management roles at ExxonMobil.