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The president Donald Trump nominated Daniel Perez this Monday as the extraordinary and plenipotentiary ambassador of the United States to Brazil, in an appointment that must be confirmed by the Senate.
Perez, 38 years old, is the son of Cuban immigrants and serves as the Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives, a position he has held since November 2024.
The nomination was officially sent by the White House to the Senate on Monday, along with other diplomatic appointments from the Trump administration for various countries.
If confirmed, Perez will be the first U.S. ambassador to Brazil since the departure of Elizabeth Bagley, appointed by Joe Biden. The position has been vacant for more than 17 months, since January 2025, when Trump returned to the White House.
Born in New York on June 22, 1987, Perez moved with his family to Florida in 1993, settling in Westchester, in Miami-Dade County. His parents emigrated from Cuba in 1969.
He is the third Cuban-American to preside over the Florida House, following in the footsteps of Marco Rubio and José Oliva. He graduated from Florida State University and earned his law degree from Loyola University New Orleans.
Analysts point out that the nomination as ambassador comes at a time when Perez is in his final year as Speaker of the House, due to term limits, and he had previously declined the White House's suggestion to run for Attorney General of Florida.
The appointment is part of a pattern of the Trump administration of appointing Cuban Americans to key diplomatic positions. In March, Trump nominated Cuban American lawyer Juan Rodríguez as ambassador to Guatemala, and previously confirmed Benjamín León Jr. as ambassador to Spain and Andorra.
The nomination of Perez adds to the growing presence of Cuban Americans in key positions of U.S. foreign policy. The Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, currently holds one of the most influential roles in the Trump administration. Joining him are the U.S. Ambassador to Peru, Bernie Navarro; the Ambassador to Argentina, Peter Lamelas; and the Ambassador to Spain and Andorra, Benjamín León Jr.. Also notable is the role of Cuban American Mauricio Claver-Carone, one of the most influential figures in Washington's strategy toward Latin America. This trend reflects the political weight gained by the Cuban American community, especially in Florida. Their influence continues to grow within the Republican Party and the current U.S. administration.
Meanwhile, the diplomatic mission in Brasília is still led by chargé d'affaires Gabriel Escobar, who will be replaced by Natasha Franceschi starting in July.
Relations between the United States and Brazil are experiencing a period of tension since the return of Trump, marked by a 50% tariff on Brazilian products and Brazil's consultations with the World Trade Organization in August 2025. However, Trump and President Lula agreed in October of that year to restore channels of dialogue. If confirmed, Perez will have to navigate this complex bilateral landscape.
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