Incoming Mexican president taps renewables expert as secretary of energy

Mexico’s incoming President Claudia Sheinbaum on Thursday appointed Luz Elena González, an expert in sustainable development, as the next secretary of energy. 

Sheinbaum highlighted González’s experience at the intersection of renewable energy and finance, which will prove useful in the department’s relationship with state-managed companies like the Federal Electricity Commission and oil giant Pemex. 

"I reiterate my promise to serve the Mexican people through an energy policy that guarantees national sovereignty and at the same time advances the energy transition," Gonzalez said on social media platform X after the announcement.

Sheinbaum, a former mayor of the Mexican capital, won a landslide election earlier this month. She will be the first female president of Mexico. González was in charge of finance and administration for Mexico City during Sheinbaum’s tenure as mayor. 

González will also serve as the chair of the board of directors for Pemex and part of the board of national electricity utility provider CFE. Her nomination comes as Pemex is saddled with huge debt, the world’s highest for an oil company. Meanwhile, Mexico is struggling to keep up with power demand, and the country has recently suffered blackouts amid record-high temperatures. 

“If (president-elect) Sheinbaum combines this (appointment of Luz Elena Gonzalez as Mexico’s energy secretary) with someone that can be credible with Wall Street for CEO of Pemex, you have the makings of a very interesting team — different to what we’ve seen in the past,” said Pablo Zarate, senior managing director at FT Consulting, in a post on LinkedIn.

Sheinbaum also named other members of her future cabinet, including Jesus Esteva to be her transportation minister, David Kershenobich as health minister, Raquel Buenrostro as head of the federal comptroller’s office, and Edna Vega Rangel as agrarian development minister.