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Inspection of the Venezuela Affairs Unit

ISP-I-25-21
Report Contents
Unclassified
Highlights PDF
Report PDF

What OIG Inspected

OIG inspected the executive direction, policy and program implementation, and resource management operations of the Venezuela Affairs Unit.  

What OIG Found

  • The Chargé d’Affaires and the Deputy Chief of Mission modeled the Department of State’s leadership principles in directing the Venezuela Affairs Unit (VAU) in Bogota, Colombia.
  • The VAU Chargé d’Affaires also served as Chargé d’Affaires of Embassy Bogota, which diminished the amount of time he could spend overseeing the VAU.
  • The Department did not undertake a cost-benefit analysis of whether to maintain and secure U.S.owned properties in Caracas.
  • The Department did not assess VAU facilities and staffing to determine the proper allocation of resources.
  • The 2020 memorandum of understanding between Embassy Bogota and the VAU was outdated.
  • The VAU did not update its local compensation plan in accordance with Department standards. 

What OIG Recommends 

OIG made 7 recommendations: 5 to the Venezuela Affairs Unit and 2 to the Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs. In its comments on the draft report, the Department concurred with 6 recommendations and partially concurred with 1 recommendation. OIG considers all 7 recommendations resolved. The Department’s response to each recommendation and OIG’s reply can be found in the Recommendations section of this report. The Department’s formal response is reprinted in its entirety in Appendix B.  

Category
Inspection
Locations
Venezuela
Bureaus/Offices
Western Hemisphere Affairs (WHA)
Themes/Topics
Embassy / Mission Inspection
Recommendation Number
1
Open Resolved

The Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs, in coordination with the Bureaus of Overseas Buildings Operations and Diplomatic Security and the Venezuela Affairs Unit, should conduct a cost-benefit analysis to determine whether the Department should continue to maintain and secure its properties in Caracas.

Recommendation Number
2
Open Resolved

The Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs, in coordination with the Venezuela Affairs Unit, should assess the Venezuela Affairs Unit’s operations and staffing.

Recommendation Number
3
Closed Not Implemented

The Venezuela Affairs Unit, in coordination with Embassy Bogota and the Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs, should update the memorandum of understanding between the Venezuela Affairs Unit and Embassy Bogota.

Recommendation Number
4
Open Resolved

The Venezuela Affairs Unit, in coordination with the Bureau of Personnel and Training, should update its local compensation plan to reflect current practices, in accordance with Department standards.

Recommendation Number
5
Open Resolved

The Venezuela Affairs Unit should adhere to all relevant Department standards for motor vehicles operations.

Recommendation Number
6
Open Resolved

The Venezuela Affairs Unit should conduct a risk assessment and obtain an authorization to operate from the Bureau of Diplomatic Technology for the cloud-based software application being used in Caracas.

Recommendation Number
7
Closed Implemented

The Venezuela Affairs Unit should bring its records management program into compliance with Department standards.

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