The Secretary of State of the United States, Antony Blinken, spoke by phone this Friday with Juan Ramón de la Fuente, appointed new Secretary of Foreign Affairs as part of the cabinet of the next president of Mexico, Claudia Sheinbaum.
In the call, both officials discussed topics of common interest such as “irregular immigrationthe threat of fentanyl, economic prosperity, climate change and renewable energy.”
State Department spokesman Matthew Miller indicated in a statement that Blinken telephoned De la Fuente this Friday “to congratulate you on your appointment.”
“Secretary Blinken reaffirmed the importance of the United States-Mexico relationship and our commitment to working closely with the Administration of President-elect Claudia Sheinbaum as equal partners that advance the interests of both countries,” the statement said.
Blinken’s call comes a day after Sheinbaum presented part of his new government cabinet, three men and three women who will work in key positions in the new administration.
The State Department indicated that the call was intended to discuss bilateral relations “across the full spectrum of shared interests.”
Who is Juan Ramón de la Fuente, the next chancellor of Mexico?
De la Fuente, who represented Mexico before the UN between 2018 and 2023, he is a veteran Mexican politician who was also rector of the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) and Secretary of Health between 1994 and 1997.
He was born in Mexico City in 1951 and is a Surgeon graduated from the UNAM Faculty of Medicine. He has a Master of Science from the University of Minnesota, in the United States and completed a residency in Psychiatry at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester.
He is a member of several scientific societies and has been president of the Mexican Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Medicine. His recognitions include the “Miguel Alemán Valdés” award, the Natural Sciences award from the Academy of Scientific Research, the Biomedical Research award from the National Academy of Medicine and the “Ricardo J. Zevada-Conacyt” award.
