Diplomat José Botafogo Gonçalves died on Friday (8), in Rio de Janeiro.
Born in Belo Horizonte (MG), in January 1935, he entered his diplomatic career in 1960. Itamaraty issued a note of condolence over the ambassador’s death.
“The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Mauro Vieira, and the Secretary-General of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Maria Laura da Rocha, on behalf of Itamaraty, express their most sincere condolences to the family and many friends of Ambassador José Botafogo Gonçalves” , says the text.
Throughout his career, the diplomat served at the Brazilian Embassies in Moscow (1962-1964), Rome (1964-1967), Santiago (1967-1969), Paris (1973-1975) and Bonn, Germany (1976-1977) .
He was also Consul General in Milan (1991-1995) and Ambassador in Buenos Aires (2002-2004), as well as Special Ambassador for Mercosur Affairs.
José Botafogo Gonçalves also held the position of Minister of Industry, Commerce and Tourism, between 1998 and 1999, in the government of Fernando Henrique Cardoso.
For years, the ambassador presided over the Brazilian Center for International Relations (Cebri), think thank Brazilian on diplomacy.
He was 89 years old and leaves his wife, three children and seven grandchildren.
