President Andrés Manuel López Obrador announced that current Secretary of Education, Esteban Moctezuma, will be Mexico’s next ambassador to the United States, replacing Martha Bárcena, who announced his early retirement.
“I have decided, in the context of a change of government in the United States, to appoint, once the whole procedure is completed, Esteban Moctezuma, he will be Mexico’s next ambassador to the United States,” the representative announced at his morning conference.
López Obrador explained that for Esteban Moctezuma to assume this position, they will apply for the blessing of the U.S. government and send the appointment to the Senate of the Republic so that, if they so decide, it will be ratified.
“Let’s wait, getting the blessing takes time,” he added.
He highlighted Moctezuma’s work at the head of the PMI and said he would ask him to end the year to help them prepare for return to face-to-face classes in states that are already green and plan some school activities with the school as their axis, for states that are in yellow.
He noted that he is making a consultation to decide who will be the next secretary or secretary of education.
On the other hand, the president thanked Martha Bárcena’s work as ambassador and referred to her as a remarkable specialist who represented Mexico with loyalty and dignity abroad.
She added that she had asked foreign secretary Marcelo Ebrard to consider Bárcena as an eminent ambassador, an important distinction for foreign service officials.
Following this announcement, Mexico’s still ambassador to the US thanked the president for his words and congratulated Esteban Moctezuma on his appointment.
“We have been friends for many years and I am sure we will work in coordination on the transition,” he wrote of Moctezuma.
I thank the @lopezobrador_ for his generous words to me and his appreciation for my professional work carried out with vocation, loyalty and devotion to Mexico and its government.
— Martha Bárcena (@Martha_Barcena) December 16, 2020
A few days ago, Bárcena announced his early retirement, which he consulted with President López Obrador and clarified that “no one else intervened or had an opinion or influence on this personal decision.”
She said the transition process will take a few months and in the meantime she will remain at the helm of the Embassy.
“No one has given me any position in my diplomatic career, not out of friendliness, nor out of nepotism, nor for belonging to power groups. My career has been made based on effort, discipline and preparation,” he wrote.
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