Marilyn McAfee

Marilyn McAfee (born 1940) is a retired American diplomat who served as the United States Ambassador to Guatemala.

Marilyn McAfee
United States Ambassador to Guatemala
In office
June 16, 1993 – June 20, 1996
PresidentBill Clinton
Preceded byThomas F. Stroock
Succeeded byDonald J. Planty
Personal details
Born1940
ResidencePonte Vedra Beach, Florida
Alma materUniversity of Pennsylvania
The Johns Hopkins University
OccupationDiplomat

Early life

McAfee was a history major at the University of Pennsylvania. After graduation, she attended The Johns Hopkins University where she earned a Masters Degree.[1]

Career

After Johns Hopkins, she began her eventual 31 year career as a foreign service officer. During her career, she spent four and a half years in Iran followed by three years in Washington, D.C. on the "Iran Desk" during the Iranian Revolution of 1979 and hostage crisis. She was also responsibility for Afghanistan and Pakistan, both of which she visited multiple times. During her tenure, she spent ten weeks in Israel on official travel and also served as Assistant Secretary General for Inspections in the Office of the Inspector General of the Department of State, which necessitated her travel for extended inspection visits to Russia, South Africa and China.[1]

Besides the Middle East, much of her time was spent in Latin America, primarily Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Venezuela, Chile, and Bolivia where she was Deputy Chief of Mission with special responsibilities as Coordinator, Counter Narcotics Operations. On May 28, 1993, she was appointed United States Ambassador to Guatemala by U.S. President Bill Clinton.[2][3] She presented her credentials on June 16, 1993 and served until she left her post on June 20, 1996.[4] McAffee had begun her career in Guatemala.[1] While in Guatemala, McAfee focused on "supporting the institutionalization of democracy"[5] and is also remembered for her focus on human rights.[6]

Murphy Memo

While in Guatemala, the Central Intelligence Agency produced the "Murphy Memo" in 1994 based on audio recordings made by bugs planted in McAfee's bedroom that were placed by Guatemalan intelligence.[7][8] In the recording, McAfee verbally entreated "Murphy". The CIA circulated a memo in the highest Washington circles accusing her of having an extramarital lesbian affair with her secretary, Carol Murphy. However, there was no affair as the truth was McAfee was calling to Murphy, her two-year-old black standard poodle.[9] Reportedly, the Guatemalan military resented McAfee's "emphasis on human rights had a plan to embarrass the Ambassador publicly, besmirch her reputation and damage the United States Embassy by spreading false rumors about her personal life."[7] The incident was revealed in 1993 during George Tenet's Senate confirmation hearings to become head of the CIA.[10]

Later career

After her retirement from the diplomatic service, she served six years as President of the World Affairs Council of Jacksonville (and served on the National Board of the World Affairs Councils of America). She also participated in the World Affairs Councils of America special delegation visits to Morocco, Egypt, Jordan and Baghdad in January 2009 at the invitation of Ambassador Ryan Crocker.[1]

She has lectured for National Geographic and World Affairs Councils of America.[1]

Personal life

Ambassador McAfee, who was married,[11] makes her home in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida and is a member of the University of North Florida Foundation Board, the Board of Baptist Medical Center Beaches, and the Rotary International Foundation Board in Downtown Jacksonville.[1]

Awards and honors

McAfee was awarded the Presidential Meritorious Award, the Superior Honor Award and the Distinguished Honor Award. She was promoted to the rank of Career Minister in 1997. She has been listed in Who's Who in America, Who's Who of American Women, Who's Who in American Politics. In 2005, McAfee was awarded The Florida Times-Union's Eve Award for Outstanding Volunteer Service.[1]

References
  1. "Ambassador Marilyn McAfee (Ret.) | World Affairs Council Jacksonville". www.worldaffairscounciljax.org. World Affairs Council Jacksonville. Retrieved 7 January 2020.
  2. Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents. Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Service, General Services Administration. 1992. p. 851. Retrieved 7 January 2020.
  3. Blake, Samuel (30 March 1995). "Opinion | What Else Did The C.I.A. Know?". The New York Times. Retrieved 7 January 2020.
  4. "Marilyn McAfee - People - Department History - Office of the Historian". history.state.gov. Office of the Historian, Foreign Service Institute United States Department of State. Retrieved 7 January 2020.
  5. Background Notes, Guatemala. U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Public Affairs, Office of Public Communication. 1994. p. 7. Retrieved 7 January 2020.
  6. Cruden, Alexander (2013). El Salvador and Guatemala. Greenhaven Publishing LLC. p. 80. ISBN 978-0-7377-6254-9. Retrieved 7 January 2020.
  7. Weiner, Tim (25 April 1995). "More Is Told About C.I.A. In Guatemala". The New York Times. Retrieved 7 January 2020.
  8. Weiner, Tim (28 September 1995). "C.I.A. May Dismiss Chief Officer Involved in Guatemala". The New York Times. Retrieved 7 January 2020.
  9. Weiner, Tim (2007). Legacy of Ashes: The History of the CIA. New York City: Doubleday. p. 459. ISBN 978-0385514453. OCLC 82367780.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  10. Carlin, John (11 May 1997). "Well, it sounded like heavy petting to the CIA". The Independent. Retrieved 7 January 2020.
  11. Wise, Reviewed by David (22 July 2007). "Legacy of Ashes (By Tim Weiner) Covert Action". Retrieved 7 January 2020.
Diplomatic posts
Preceded by
Thomas F. Stroock		 United States Ambassador to Guatemala
June 16, 1993–June 20, 1996		 Succeeded by
Donald J. Planty
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