The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) of the Mexican government made a series of proposals and appointments as part of the commemorative actions for International Women's Day, recognizing the role of female diplomats in building strong foreign relations and in initiatives that benefit Mexico and other countries.
The MFA announced five appointments to lead, by women, Mexican consulates in the United States, with the aim of achieving parity in the consular network in the neighboring country, following up on its commitment to the Feminist Foreign Policy (FFP) and gender equality.
They are Gabriela Patricia Pinzón Sánchez who will serve as consul in Albuquerque, New Mexico; Patricia Cortés, as consul in Las Vegas, Nevada; Nuria Paulina Zúñiga Alaniz, as consul in Fresno, California; Judith Marcia Arrieta Munguia as consul in Brownsville, Texas, and Ana Luisa Vallejo Barba as Consul General in San Francisco, California.
Also recognized the exceptional merits of service to Mexico in the field of foreign policy to Ambassador Norma Bertha Pensado Moreno, who serves as head of the Embassy of Mexico in Denmark and has been Ambassador to the Russian Federation, Finland, and Sweden, Undersecretary for Latin America and the Caribbean, as well as Director General for Latin America and the Caribbean and Director General for Europe, whom she appointed as eminent ambassador, as well as Ambassador Juan Manuel Gómez Robledo.
Gómez Robledo has been an ambassador since 2001, and at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs he served as Undersecretary for Multilateral Affairs and Human Rights, among many other high-level positions. Last November, he was elected to serve as Judge of the International Court of Justice for the period 2024-2033.
Meanwhile, four ministers were promoted to the rank of ambassadors, three of whom are women:
Jennifer Feller Enríquez, currently serving as Director General for Europe and Mexico's Sherpa to the G20. She was in charge of the Undersecretariat from November 2023 to February 2024. She has been a member of the Foreign Service since 2004. Abroad, she has worked at the Embassies in Portugal, France, and the United States, as well as at the Permanent Mission to the United Nations. At the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, she has been part of the Legal Consultancy, Undersecretariat for Multilateral Affairs and Human Rights, and Director General of Political Planning and G20.
Claudia Velasco Osorio, Consul General in Raleigh since June 5, 2019, and member of the Mexican Foreign Service since 1993. Abroad, she has been assigned to the Consulates General in Houston and Dallas, Texas, at the Embassy in Brazil; she served as Chief of Chancery at the Embassy in Bolivia and was assigned to the Permanent Mission to the United Nations, in addition to holding other positions at the SRE. She holds a specialization in International Law from UNAM.
Ana Berenice Díaz Ceballos Parada, currently Ambassador to the Czech Republic, was appointed Ambassador of Mexico to the Czech Republic. She has been a member of the Mexican Foreign Service since 2000. Among other positions, she has been Head of Consulates in Oxnard, California, and Vancouver, Canada. At the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, she has held various positions such as Coordinator of Advisors to the Undersecretary of Foreign Affairs, Deputy Director General in the General Directorate of Global Issues, and Area Director in the Directorate General of the United Nations. She served as Sous-Sherpa of Mexico for the G20 from 2008 to 2013.
The other minister promoted to ambassador is Jonathan Chait Auerbach, Director General of Protocol at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the next head of the Executive Directorate of Cultural and Tourist Diplomacy at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Career trajectory of the appointed female diplomats for the consulates of Mexico in the United States
Gabriela Patricia Pinzón Sánchez: Consul General of Mexico in Albuquerque, New Mexico. She joined the Mexican Foreign Service in 2010, was promoted to Second Secretary in October 2017. She has been assigned to Consulmex Yuma; Consulmex Sacramento; and Consulmex San Diego as head of Protection and Legal Affairs.
Patricia Cortés Guadarrama: Consul General of Mexico in Las Vegas, Nevada.
She joined the Mexican Foreign Service in 2000, was promoted to First Secretary in October 2017. At the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, she has been assigned to the Directorate General of International Economic Negotiations, General Coordination of Advisors, as well as to the Institute of Mexicans Abroad. Abroad, she worked at the embassies of Mexico in the Netherlands and Spain, as well as at the Consulate of Mexico in Salt Lake City.
Nuria Paulina Zúñiga Alaniz: Consul General of Mexico in Fresno, California. She joined the Mexican Foreign Service in 2010 and was promoted to Second Secretary in October 2017. In Mexico, she has been assigned to the Directorate General for Africa and the Middle East, and abroad to the Embassy of Mexico in Bolivia; to the Consulate General of Mexico in Houston, and to the Consulate of Mexico in Fresno as Attached Consul.
Judith Marcia Arrieta Munguía: Consul General of Mexico in Brownsville, Texas. She joined the Mexican Foreign Service in 1995. At the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, she has worked in the offices of the Secretary, in the Undersecretariat for Multilateral Affairs and Human Rights, and in the Undersecretariat for North America. Abroad, she has been assigned to Mexico's representations in Argentina, Belgium-European Union, India; and to the Permanent Missions of Mexico to the United Nations in New York; and to International Organizations in Switzerland.
Ana Luisa Vallejo Barba: Consul General of Mexico in San Francisco, California. She joined the Mexican Foreign Service in 1995. She has served as Attached Consul at the Consulate General of Mexico in Rio de Janeiro, Chief of Chancery in Bolivia, and has also been assigned to the embassies of Mexico in Peru, Guatemala, and Belgium-European Union. At the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, she has worked in the Directorate General for Protection of Mexicans Abroad and in the Directorate General for Latin America and the Caribbean.
The feminist struggle is not about women replacing men, but about women having equal rights and power, especially power over themselves. Meanwhile, the Feminist Foreign Policy seeks to put the rights of women, young people and girls at the center of international action. This initiative consists of more women participating in foreign policy, but also of applying the gender perspective in all actions. activities of countries abroad.