Ron Johnson was sworn in as the new United States ambassador to Mexico on Tuesday.
During a ceremony in Washington, D.C., Johnson assumed the role of 81st U.S. diplomatic envoy to Mexico after Ken Salazar, who served as ambassador under President Joe Biden from September 2021 to January 2025.
Event attendees included U.S. Vice President JD Vance and Mexican Ambassador to the United States Esteban Moctezuma Barragán.
Moctezuma celebrated Johnson’s official start date via his X account, highlighting his willingness to strengthen the bilateral relationship between the two countries.
“I attended the swearing-in of the ambassador-designate to Mexico, who reiterated his openness and willingness to strengthen our bilateral relationship. Congratulations!” Moctezuma wrote.
As ambassador, Johnson will be responsible for advancing President Donald Trump’s agenda, of which trade, immigration and drug trafficking are top priorities.
“Together, we will end migrant crimes, stop the illegal flow of fentanyl and other dangerous drugs into our country, and make America safe again,” Johnson said in December following his nomination by then president-elect Trump.
Johnson is not new to diplomatic roles.
From 2019 to 2021, he served as ambassador to El Salvador during Trump’s first term as U.S. president. Trump tasked Johnson with working to rein in Central American gangs, stop human trafficking and stem migration flows north. Johnson’s service in El Salvador has drawn criticism, however, for failing to address the root causes of crime and instability.
Salvadoran Óscar Chacón, spokesperson for the pro-migrant network Alianza Américas, told the newspaper El País that Johnson is “an extremely pragmatic man,” who prioritizes results over political convictions.
“His pragmatism isn’t tied to ideological paradigms, despite [his] believing in them,” Chacón remarked.
Johnson has been married for 40 years to Cuban-born Alina Arias, with whom he has four children. He is an expert skydiver, an avid scuba diver, and a taekwondo black belt. Before serving as ambassador to El Salvador, Johnson had a long career in the Army, where he was stationed in Latin America and the U.S. Secret Service.
With reports from El País and Energía Hoy
