Sheinbaum announces Cabinet members, including academics and former officials

Mexico’s new president, Claudia Sheinbaum, began naming her government on Thursday, featuring an even gender split, as well as a strong presence from academia and her previous administration as mayor of Mexico City.

Sheinbaum, herself a climate scientist and former academic, named former Foreign Secretary Marcelo Ebrard as her administration’s economic secretary. Ebrard resigned from this position in 2023 to run against Sheinbaum for their party’s nomination.

Sheinbaum was victorious in the June 2 election.

Ebrard, 63, was the official Andrés Manuel López Obrador charged with securing foreign-made vaccines for Mexico at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

He also served as mayor of Mexico City from 2006 to 2012, traditionally the launching pad for the presidency.

While he was once considered the second most important figure in the Morena party, his position was tarnished by two key events. First, a hastily constructed and poorly constructed subway line while he was mayor collapsed in 2021, killing 26 passengers. Second, he entered a primary race against Sheinbaum in 2023 for Morena’s presidential nomination, but instead of quickly admitting defeat, he alleged irregularities and continued his legal challenges.

Ebrard’s appointment nevertheless appears to have been welcomed by investors, who were spooked earlier this month following a number of legal reforms proposed by Sheinbaum, which led to a fall in the peso. After the announcement of the Cabinet choices on Thursday, the Mexican currency showed a slight appreciation.

Ebrard will have to take on the renewal of a free trade agreement with the United States and Canada and increase foreign investment, another welcome announcement, said Gabriela Siller, director of economic analysis at local financial group Banco Base .

However, Siller said market concern “has not gone away” as concerns grow over the controversial judicial reform bill.

Sheinbaum chose Juan Ramón de la Fuente as foreign secretary.

De la Fuente, 72, is the former rector of Mexico’s largest university, the National Autonomous University of Mexico, or UNAM, which Sheinbaum attended and worked for.

He served as Mexico’s ambassador to the United Nations under López Obrador and is known for his calm and diplomatic demeanor.

He was Secretary of Health in the late 1990s. A psychiatrist by training, De la Fuente is a good listener and has an academic air, like Sheinbaum herself. He held the key position of transition coordinator, so he’s as close to her as anyone.

Mexico’s current Secretary of Foreign Affairs, Alicia Bárcena, will now serve as Secretary of Environment and Natural Resources.

Sheinbaum announced Thursday that she would create a new ministry to oversee science, humanities, technology and innovation. For this role, she chose Rosaura Ruiz Gutiérrez, a biologist who previously headed the UNAM science school. Ruiz Gutiérrez had also served as Mexico City’s Secretary of Education while Sheinbaum was mayor.

Sheinbaum tapped Ernestina Godoy, who was Mexico City’s chief prosecutor when Sheinbaum was mayor, to serve as his administration’s legal advisor.

Julio Berdegué Sacristán, an agronomist with a long academic career, was his choice for the post of Secretary of Agriculture and Rural Development.

Sheinbaum said she would present other choices to the Cabinet next week.