{{Short description|American diplomat}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Peter Lamelas | image = United States Ambassador to Argentina Peter Lamelas.jpg | caption = Official portrait, 2025 | order = 53rd [[United States Ambassador to Argentina]] | president = [[Donald Trump]] | term_start = November 4, 2025<ref>https://www.rionegro.com.ar/politica/javier-milei-se-reunio-con-el-embajador-peter-lamelas-en-casa-rosada-previo-a-su-viaje-a-estados-unidos-4360915/</ref> | status = | birth_place = [[Cuba]] | education = [[Universidad Central del Este]] ([[doctor of medicine|MD]])<br>[[Nova Southeastern University]] ([[Master of Business Administration|MBA]]) | predecessor = [[Marc Stanley]] | birth_date = December 1958 }}
'''Peter Lamelas''' (born December 1958) is a [[Cuban Americans|Cuban-American]] diplomat, physician, and entrepreneur who has served as the [[List of ambassadors of the United States to Argentina|United States ambassador to Argentina]] since 2025. He is a major donor to the [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican Party]] donating over $600,000 to Republicans in the [[2024 United States presidential election]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-07-11 |title=Florida's RNC presence takes shape |url=https://www.politico.com/newsletters/florida-playbook/2024/07/11/floridas-rnc-presence-takes-shape-00167521 |access-date=2026-01-08 |website=POLITICO |language=en}}</ref> Lamelas is also the founder and former CEO of MD Now Urgent Care, an urgent care network in Florida.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=December 13, 2024 |title=Trump names Peter Lamelas as next US ambassador to Argentina |url=https://www.batimes.com.ar/news/world/trump-names-peter-lamelas-as-next-us-ambassador-to-argentina.phtml |access-date=December 26, 2024 |website=[[Buenos Aires Times]] |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=Herald |first=Buenos Aires |date=December 12, 2024 |title=Trump announces Peter Lamelas will be US ambassador to Argentina |url=https://buenosairesherald.com/world/international-relations/trump-announces-peter-lamelas-will-be-us-ambassador-to-argentina |access-date=December 26, 2024 |website=[[Buenos Aires Herald]] |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":3">{{Cite web |date=February 15, 2019 |title=Peter Lamelas {{!}} Legacy Ventures |url=https://legacyv.com/team/peter-lamelas/ |access-date=December 26, 2024 |website=legacyv.com |language=en-US}}</ref>
== Early life and education == Peter Lamelas was born in [[Cuba]] and immigrated to the United States as a child with his family.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Castro |first=Manuela |last2=Español |first2=C. N. N. |date=December 12, 2024 |title=Quién es Peter Lamelas, el embajador designado por Donald Trump para Argentina |url=https://cnnespanol.cnn.com/2024/12/12/argentina/peter-lamelas-embajador-trump-argentina-orix |access-date=December 27, 2024 |website=CNN |language=es}}</ref> Lamelas pursued higher education in medicine, earning an M.D. from [[Universidad Central del Este]] and later completing an M.B.A. at [[Nova Southeastern University]].<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":3" />
== Early career == Lamelas is the founder and former CEO of MD Now Urgent Care, which he expanded into one of Florida's largest urgent care networks. Under his leadership, the company partnered with two private equity firms and became a leading healthcare provider in the nation. He also serves as a Board Advisor to MD Now and has over 20 years of experience in emergency medicine and emergency medical services.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":3" />
In addition to his entrepreneurial activities, Lamelas has been actively involved in medical governance. He served on the Florida Board of Medicine, appointed by then-governor [[Jeb Bush]], and was a member of the board of directors for the [[Urgent Care Association of America]]. He has also contributed to community service through various non-profit organizations in [[South Florida]].<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":3" />
=== Political appointments === During Donald Trump's first presidential term, Lamelas was appointed to the [[United States Department of Justice|Department of Justice]]'s Medal of Valor Review board, which honors first responders for acts of extraordinary valor.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":2" />
== United States ambassador to Argentina (2025–present) == On December 11, 2024, President-elect Donald Trump announced he would nominate Lamelas as the [[List of ambassadors of the United States to Argentina|United States ambassador to Argentina]]. Trump's nomination emphasized Lamelas's medical and business credentials, as well as his personal story as a Cuban refugee. Trump described him as "a physician, philanthropist, and an incredible businessman".<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":2" />
Lamelas has already engaged diplomatically with Argentina's leadership, having met President [[Javier Milei]] during Milei's visit to [[Mar-a-Lago]] in November 2024.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":2" />
Lamelas donated $250,000 to the [[Second inauguration of Donald Trump]]<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-05-09 |title=Meet the top donors to Trump's $239 million inauguration fund |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/interactive/2025/trump-inauguration-donors-list/ |access-date=2026-01-08 |website=The Washington Post |language=en}}</ref>
During his confirmation hearing in July 2025, Lamelas explained that his objectives were to make Argentina a “partner of choice” for the United States. In the context of the [[Falkland Islands sovereignty dispute|rivalry]] between Argentina and the United Kingdom over control of the [[Falkland Islands]], he reiterated the “neutrality” of the United States on this issue. Lamelas confirmed his intention to combat the influence of certain countries in Argentina, such as China and Venezuela. He also announced his support for the judicial proceedings against former President [[Cristina Fernández de Kirchner]].<ref name="Lemas Herald">{{Cite news |date=September 19, 2025 |title=US Senate confirms Peter Lamelas as ambassador to Argentina |url=https://buenosairesherald.com/politics/us-senate-confirms-peter-lamelas-as-ambassador-to-argentina |access-date=September 21, 2025 |work=[[Buenos Aires Herald]]}}</ref>
On September 18, 2025, Lamelas was confirmed by the [[United States Senate|Senate]].<ref name="Lemas Herald"/> He presented his credentials to President [[Javier Milei]] on November 4, 2025.<ref>https://elpais.com/argentina/2025-11-05/milei-recibe-a-peter-lamelas-el-embajador-enviado-por-trump-para-limitar-la-influencia-de-china.html?outputType=amp</ref>
== References == {{Reflist}} <references group="lower-alpha" />
{{US Ambassadors to Argentina}} {{USLAambassadors}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lamelas, Peter}} [[Category:1958 births]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:American people of Cuban descent]] [[Category:21st-century American medical doctors]] [[Category:Ambassadors of the United States to Argentina]] [[Category:Nova Southeastern University alumni]] [[Category:Second Trump administration personnel]]