Chávez ratified as Attorney General

By a vote of 75-27, with one abstention, the Senate ratified Arturo Chávez Chávez as Attorney General. The PAN, PRI, and PVEM voted in favor, with the PRD and PT against. PRI Senator Jesús Murillo Karam said that the PRI decided to support the nomination because the Ministry of Justice depended on the Presidency, and it was a way of keeping the President responsible for the performance of his Attorney General. In his first press conference, Chávez promised a clean up of the Ministry: “All the personnel of the PGR, starting with me, should to be subject to very rigorous examinations in order to ensure society that our responsibilities will be carried out by persons who are honest and committed to their wellbeing.” (Reforma 9/25)

Chávez nomination as Attorney General under fire

The nomination of Arturo Chávez Chávez as Attorney General is facing increasing criticism. According to Reforma’s Templo Mayor, a confirmation hearing before the Senate Security Commission scheduled for Tuesday has been postponed. A majority of PRI and PAN senators are thought to oppose the nomination, and some PAN senators are also said to be unwilling to vote in favor because of the opposition of Mexican and international human rights groups. Chávez was Attorney General of Chihuahua when the case of the serial killings of women in Ciudad Juárez first came to light. (Reforma 9/14, Universal 9/14)

Cabinet changes announced

President Calderón announced three cabinet changes to start the second half of his sexenio. All three slots are areas where changes were expected.

Arturo Chávez Chávez was nominated to become Attorney General. (This post requires Senate confirmation.) He replaces Eduardo Medina-Mora who will go to the foreign service. Chávez is a law partner in the firm of Diego Fernández de Cevallos, has been Undersecretary of Government, and—most controversially—was Attorney General in Chihuahua when the scandal of the missing and murdered women in Ciudad Juárez first came to light. Chávez was forced to resign in 1998 after the Human Rights Commission issued a highly critical report of the investigations into the murders.

Juan José Suárez Coppel was named to head Pemex in place of Jesús Reyes Heroles. Suárez Coppel was CFO of Pemex during the Fox government and chief of staff in the Ministry of Finance under Francisco Gil Díaz.

Agriculture Secretary Alberto Cárdenas was replaced by Francisco Javier Mayorga, who held the same position at the close of the Fox administration. (Universal 9/7, Excelsior 9/8)