Photo: U.S. Embassy in El Salvador

By KELIN DILLON

On Tuesday, Dec. 10, U.S. President-elect Donald Trump nominated Ron Johnson as his choice as the U.S. Ambassador to Mexico in his upcoming administration.

Johnson previously served in the U.S. Army at the rank of colonel, held the position of the U.S. Ambassador to El Salvador, and worked at the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) at the Special Operations Command.

According to the U.S. Department of State, Johnson lived in Latin America for five years during his tenure in El Salvador, is fluent in Spanish, and is familiar with the region’s problems.

Trump announced the selection on his social network, Truth Social, on Tuesday night, writing that he expects Johnson to “promote the security and prosperity of our nation through sound foreign policies that put America first.”

The president-elect also highlighted Johnson’s time in El Salvador, “where he worked tirelessly with Salvadoran authorities and our team to reduce violent crime and illegal migration to the lowest levels in history.”

“Together, we will end the criminalization of migrants, stop the illegal flow of fentanyl and other dangerous drugs into our country,” concluded Trump.

Johnson is set to replace Ken Salazar, the U.S. ambassador to Mexico under President Joe Biden, upon Trump’s inauguration into office.