President Claudia Sheinbaum revealed on Wednesday that former attorney general Alejandro Gertz Manero would serve as Mexico’s next ambassador to the United Kingdom.

“He’s going to Great Britain, to England,” Sheinbaum told her morning press conference.

She said that the United Kingdom has given its “consent” to the appointment of Gertz as Mexico’s ambassador, but noted that the Mexican Senate still has to approve it.

“After [that] he would go. Later, we’ll give you the date,” Sheinbaum said.

Gertz, 86, resigned as federal attorney general in late November, two years before his nine-year term was due to end. His almost seven years in the job were marked by controversy, including due to claims he misused his position for personal reasons.

Gertz was replaced by Ernestina Godoy, who served as Sheinbaum’s top legal advisor before becoming attorney general.

Former Sheinbaum advisor Ernestina Godoy sworn in as attorney general

Various media outlets reported last year that Gertz would become Mexico’s ambassador to Germany, but the government never confirmed that was the case.

“Soon we’re going to say where he’s going because there has to be a process between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the [host] country,” Sheinbaum said on Nov. 28.

“Until the credentials are accepted, [the host country] can’t be announced, that’s a rule,” she said.

If his appointment is approved by the Senate, Gertz will replace former environment minister Josefa González-Blanco Ortiz-Mena as Mexico’s ambassador to the United Kingdom. She assumed her duties as ambassador in April 2021.

Almost two years before that, González-Blanco resigned as environment minister after causing the delay of a commercial airline flight and triggering a backlash on social media. She had been in the job for less than six months.

In his resignation letter, Gertz wrote that the proposal that he be appointed as an ambassador would allow him to continue serving his country.

During his long career, the Mexico City native has worked as a lawyer and an academic, and served as federal security minister during the presidency of Vicente Fox (2000-06) before becoming a federal deputy in 2009.

Mexico News Daily