Robert R. Bottome, jr. of Boca Raton, Florida and Caracas, Venezuela died on December 7, 2021. Beloved husband, father, grandfather, friend, journalist, banker and patron of folk artists passed away after several years of declining health. Robert, known as Toby to his friends, was a Venezuelan-American, born in New York City and raised in Caracas, who had a successful career in equity trading, banking and journalism. After working as a stock broker for Merrill Lynch and Bottome & Asociados, he helped create the Venezuelan Investment Fund and represented the Union Bank of California (which merged with Standard Chartered Bank) from 1977-1994. In 1982 he co-founded the highly respected periodical Veneconomy, with his partners, Joseph Mann and John Sweeney. For three decades, Veneconomia, published in English and Spanish, kept readers abreast of Venezuela’s tumultuous financial, political and business developments. After retiring he was a passionate advocate for human rights and freedom of speech. Toby was happiest surrounded by family; advocating for political prisoners held illegally in Venezuela, attending seminars and discussion groups on foreign policy and defending classical liberal values. He also enjoyed traveling the world from Europe and South America to Southeast Asia and the Middle East with his wife of 44 years, Ruth Blumenkranz de Bottome who, along with his children and grandchildren, survives him. A celebration of life will be held in Miami on February 26, 2022 at a time and place to be announced. Donations in Toby's memory can be made to the Human Rights Foundation (https://hrf.org/take-action/; 350 5th Ave #4202, New York, NY 10118, United States) or Amnesty International (https://donate.amnestyusa.org/page/54178/donate/1).
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