Argentine foreign minister resigns, replaced with ambassador to US

Argentina names envoy to US as foreign minister

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina — Argentina named a new foreign minister on Friday, tapping its ambassador to the United States after the current minister resigned citing unspecified personal motives.

Ambassador Hector Timerman, a U.S.-educated human rights activist, will take over for Jorge Taiana.

Foreign minister since 2005, Taiana was a key figure in the governments of President Cristina Fernandez and her husband, former President Nestor Kirchner.

A sociologist and human rights activist, he was imprisoned for seven years during Argentina’s military dictatorship, and coordinated a Latin American peace and justice center after the return of democracy in 1983.

Timerman also has strong human rights credentials. The son of the late journalist Jacobo Timerman, he too became a journalist, studied in U.S. exile during the dictatorship and co-founded the human rights organization Americas Watch.

Presidential Cabinet chief Anibal Fernandez announced his appointment.

(This version CORRECTS socialist to sociologist)