Monday, July 19, 2010

 

Mexican President Outlines Cabinet Changes to the Media

 

Felipe Calderón Hinojosa, President of Mexico

 

(Statement; July 14, 2010)

 

Ladies and gentlemen.
 
I have invited you here today to tell you that I have decided to accept the resignation of Fernando Francisco Gómez Mont Urueta as Interior Secretary.
 
Mr. Gómez Mont has told me that the completion of the elections in several states of the country marks the end of a stage in his work as head of the Secretariat and that he plans to resume his professional activities.
 
During the time he held this position, his capacity and commitment to Mexico were crucial to enabling Mexico to progress in an atmosphere of governance, based on solid democratic principles.
 
I thank Fernando, Mr. Gómez Mont, for the professionalism characterizing his work as the head of this secretariat.
 
From the Interior Secretariat, Gómez Mont confirmed his commitment to a Mexico of laws and institutions. He effectively promoted dialogue between the branches of government to advance in the agreements required by our country and cope with its challenges.
 
He was a key element in promoting major reforms, such as the legal reforms of the Criminal Justice System, the Organic Law of the Attorney General’s Office, the General Law of the National System of Public Security, and the new Federal Police Law, among others.

During his administration, key decisions were made for the country, such as the liquidation of the Luz y Fuerza del Centro company. He always met his responsibilities with a clear sense of institutions and democracy.
 
He encouraged dialogue and respect for others’ opinions over conflict and ensured that the nation’s interest prevailed over personal and group interests.
 
In short, his work proved crucial to the country in promoting dialogue among the political forces and in promoting the values of democracy and legality.
 
In his place, I have decided to appoint, using my faculties as President of the Republic, José Francisco Blake Mora, who holds a degree in law from the University of Baja California and has pursued graduate studies in Strategic Planning and Public Policies at the Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México.
 
Mr. Blake has had a distinguished career in public service. He has had a long career in politics, which began with civil participation.
 
He began as a member of the Tijuana City Council, and was local delegate and coordinator of the Parliamentary Group of the National Action Party in the Baja California state legislature.
 
He was also a federal deputy in the 58th Session of Congress, when we were colleagues, and during that period, among other functions, he was a member of the Interior Secretariat and Municipal Reinforcement Commissions, among others.
 
Until today, Francisco Blake was Secretary General of Government in the state of Baja California, and in that position he played a key role in dealing with the problem of violence and organized crime in that state.
 
His knowledge of crime, and the good relations he managed to establish to link the efforts of police and military authorities in fighting crime in Baja California, will undoubtedly prove extremely useful in stepping up the fight for public security and against organized crime being fought by Mexicans.
 
I have witnessed the progress that has taken place in that state in the struggle against crime and the outstanding role Mr. Blake has played in this.
 
Throughout his career Francisco Blake has proven his commitment to Mexico. He is a loyal, practical, effective political operator, whose profile will also serve in the task of intensifying and dignifying the political activity of my government during the second half of this administration.
 
That is why I am convinced that Francisco Blake has the necessary credentials, experience and capacity to be able to serve as head of the Interior Secretariat.

I repeat my invitation to all the country’s political forces to engage in dialogue.
 
I now instruct José Francisco Blake Mora to undertake this dialogue in my name and on my behalf, and to make the necessary agreements with the branches of government, particularly the legislative branch, to advance towards the transformation of Mexico and the reinforcement of our institutions.
 
I instruct him to use responsibility and commitment in the fight against organized crime and for public security, in the fight against the main enemy of our society and institutions, and to take an active part in the dialogue I have proposed with all the political forces of the country and society as a whole, to boost the National Security Strategy as a Mexican state policy, a democratic security policy that is above any political party or any other differences.
 
As part of this new responsibility, he will have to cope with two major challenges:
 
On the one hand, he will have to promote and instrument, as I have said, democratic security as a state policy, not as a struggle by the President or a government policy but rather as a product between all the political forces and as a true state policy.

And on the other hand, he will have to deal with the challenge of creating the necessary consensus and agreements regarding institutional participation and design, which will permit democratic competition in an environment as pluralistic and highly fought over as Mexico’s.
 
The point is to review and strengthen the rules of electoral and political participation for democratic coexistence that must be debated within the framework of political reform, which must be discussed and passed in Congress.

I order the new Secretary to maintain close contact with the authorities in the states, so that dialogue with the governors continues to be a permanent source of collaboration and understanding for the benefit of citizens.
 
Politics should be a tool that incorporates all points of view, creates agreements, respects differences and creates the common good, hence the strategic importance of the Interior Secretary.

I have also decided to accept the resignation of Patricia Flores Elizondo, as head of the President’s Office. This decision will make it possible to take a step towards the necessary reorganization of the structure and functioning of the President’s Office, which is something we agreed on.
 
I would like to thank Ms. Flores for her professionalism and loyalty as head of the President’s Office. Her talent, care and dedication were crucial to achieving many of the key projects I have promoted in my capacity as president.
 
During her administration, Patricia Flores was responsible for several projects, which included the participation and coordination of various state secretariats.
 
In her capacity as Office Director, she efficiently coordinated the work of the various secretariats in some of the greatest challenges faced by this and many other governments, such as: the crisis of the A/H1N1influenza virus; the implementation of countercyclical economic measures during last year’s global economic recession; the operative and administrative implementation of the liquidation of Luz y Fuerza del Centro; among others.
 
She also coordinated the various cabinets in my government: the security, social, economic, and infrastructure cabinets, and promoted special projects such as the Celebration of the Independence Bicentennial and the Revolution Centennial.
 
The President’s Office promoted programs through which this government will undoubtedly leave a mark: universal health coverage, road and hospital infrastructure, and the fight for public security, among many others.
 
Ms. Flores’ vocation to serve, her enormous commitment and great effort, were crucial to ensuring that the project for transforming Mexico crystallized through the public policies implemented by the President.
 
In her place, as Head of the Office of the President of Mexico, I have decided to appoint Gerardo Ruiz Mateos, who has hitherto served as the Economy Secretary.
 
I would like to thank Ruiz Mateos for his invaluable work as head of this department. During his administration, he managed to make competitiveness the axis of the development of the Mexican economy and to make government an ally of companies rather than an obstacle to their growth.
 
He played a fundamental role in promoting key reforms to make innovation the engine of productivity and to make competition a trigger for investment and job creation.
 
Mr. Ruiz Mateos had previously worked as Head of the President’s Office. He had also served as General Coordinator of Cabinets and the President’s Special Projects.
 
Mr. Ruiz’s task will be to coordinate all areas of the President’s Office. I have instructed him to undertake a meticulous review of the office, redesign mechanisms to increase its efficiency, and subsequently restructure in order to meet its objectives regarding communication, public relations, and follow-up on key government programs.
 
I instruct Mr. Ruiz to follow-up on the President’s orders and agreements, and to thoroughly reorganize all areas comprising this office.
 
In particular, I instruct him to follow-up on government commitments in order to fulfill them on time, according to the National Plan of Development, and to finish the main public administration programs and projects on time.
 
To replace Gerardo Ruiz Mateos, I have appointed Bruno Ferrari García de Alba as the new Economy Secretary.
 
Mr. Ferrari was previously Director General of ProMéxico where he promoted foreign trade and attracted foreign investment.
 
He was previously director of the Unit of Economic Relations and International Cooperation of the Foreign Affairs Secretariat.
 
Bruno Ferrari obtained a degree in law from the Escuela Libre de Derecho. He completed several graduate courses in administration, finances, human resources and competitiveness at various U.S. universities.
 
He has extensive experience in private enterprise, having served as Director General of Cultural and Educational Promotion at Pulsar, and as International Corporate Director of Human Resources and Competitiveness at Pulsar International.

In his new position, I have instructed Mr. Ferrari to support Mexican families’ economies and to continue promoting investment in order to stimulate economic activity and create the jobs demanded by Mexicans. I have encouraged him to boost the competitiveness agenda and promote deregulation, in order to facilitate the creation of businesses and increase the flow of capital to our economy, and to strengthen the programs to support micro, small and medium businesses, which are the main job creators.
 
I have also instructed him to increase efforts in international trade in order to enable our producers to gain access to the world’s leading markets and consolidate Mexico as a multidirectional hub in the trade and productive investment flows between Asia, America and Europe.
 
The changes I have announced today will enable us to continue the transformation we have promoted so that public policies will benefit all Mexicans equally and enable our great nation to be a fair, orderly, generous country, which it is called to be by right and by history.

As President, I am absolutely determined to work for the good of Mexico and Mexicans to the full extent of my capacity and until the last day of my government.
 
These are the instructions I have given to not only the new members but to all those of the presidential cabinet: Let us work to the full extent of our capacities and until the last day, for the good of Mexico and Mexicans.
 
Thank you for your attention.

 

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Press statement by President Felipe Calderón, July 14, 2010; translation Presidency of the Republic