Diego Cortes Asencio (born July 15, 1931) is a diplomat and former United States Ambassador to Colombia (1977–1980) and United States Ambassador to Brazil (1983–86).
He is a member of the American Academy of Diplomacy and Council on Foreign Relations.In 1980 Asencio was – along with a dozen other diplomats – held hostage for 61 days when members of the guerrilla group 19th of April Movement (M-19), led by Rosemberg Pabón, seized the Dominican Republic's embassy in Bogotá.