Senate confirms three undersecretaries of foreign affairs by majority vote

Senate confirms three undersecretaries of foreign affairs by majority vote

• The officials reaffirmed their commitment to defending national sovereignty and international law, expressing their readiness to collaborate with the Senate to advance Mexico's foreign policy objectives
• Legislators across political parties acknowledged the officials' professional skills and experience

By majority vote, the Senate confirmed the appointment of the three undersecretaries of foreign affairs proposed by the president, who then took the oath of office.

María Teresa Mercado Pérez, Undersecretary of Foreign Affairs; Raquel Serur Smeke, Undersecretary for Latin America and the Caribbean; and Enrique Javier Ochoa Martínez, Undersecretary for Multilateral Affairs and Human Rights, emphasized that they would protect national sovereignty and support Mexican nationals abroad.

In a previous session of the Foreign Relations Commission chaired by legislator Alejandro Murat Hinojosa, María Teresa Mercado Pérez pledged to strengthening and diversifying Mexico's political and trade relations with 161 countries across Africa, Central Asia, the Middle East, Asia-Pacific, and Europe, based on defending national sovereignty and the interests of the Mexican community overseas.

She outlined plans to strengthen Mexico's diplomatic actions and prioritize its strategic relationships, reaffirming the country's commitment to international peace and security while advancing a feminist foreign policy through gender-sensitive approaches across domestic, bilateral, regional, and multilateral contexts.

Raquel Serur Smeke, Undersecretary for Latin America and the Caribbean, reaffirmed Mexico's commitment to integration and cooperation, and to addressing shared challenges through Mexican humanism, a moral economy model, and the policy advanced by President Claudia Sheinbaum.

Her strategy will draw on Mexico's constitutional principles and diplomatic traditions, including peace-building, humanitarian assistance, and protection of persecuted individuals, all in strict adherence to international law.

Enrique Javier Ochoa Martínez, Undersecretary for Multilateral Affairs and Human Rights, said that the proposed strategy would focus on inclusive approaches that promote gender equality, intersectionality and interculturality, while combating discriminatio, and creating inclusive and egalitarian communities.

He emphasized addressing the root causes of forced migration, protecting the rights of people in mobility, upholding the right to asylum, and promoting safe, orderly, and regulated migration. This approach will prioritize dialogue, peaceful conflict resolution, equitable wealth distribution, solidarity, and mutual respect.