MEXICO CITY — MEXICO CITY (AP) — Mexico’s president on Wednesday designated Roberto Velasco, the foreign ministry’s subsecretary for North America and a leading expert in bilateral relations with the U.S., as the country’s new foreign minister during a critical time for Mexico-U.S. relations.

The previous minister, Juan Ramón de la Fuente, a 74-year-old psychiatrist who has been a key member of Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum’s administration, requested to step down for health reasons, the president’s office announced Wednesday on social platform X.

Velasco, a 38-year-old lawyer with a master’s degree in Public Policy from the University of Chicago, has been involved in Mexico’s foreign relations with the U.S. and Canada for six years, first as North America general director and then as subsecretary. He stepped in for De la Fuente for a few weeks after a surgery last year. His appointment must be ratified by the Senate.

He is considered one of the foremost experts on the technical intricacies of bilateral relations during the end of U.S. President Donald Trump’s first administration and in this second term. He has led numerous bilateral and trilateral negotiations on security, migration, the economy, the border and the management of shared waters.

When Trump returned to power, Velasco became De la Fuente’s right-hand man during a period of turbulent relations between the two countries, which are now at one of their most critical points. It remains to be seen whether the young official has the necessary political clout at such a difficult times.

Velasco will be in charge of leading Mexican diplomacy amid negotiations to revise the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Free Trade Agreement, and Trump’s continued pressure in the fight against the cartels at a time when the U.S. president has shown willingness to launch military operations against those he considers his enemies, including Mexico’s ally Cuba.

Previously, Velasco had served as spokesperson for Marcelo Ebrard, the current economy secretary, when Ebrard was Mexico’s foreign minister during the first part of former Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s administration.

Outgoing minister De la Fuente, who served in the role since October 2024, was known for his discretion and negotiating skills. He accompanied Sheinbaum throughout the transition period, received envoys from then-U.S. President Joe Biden, and was responsible for preparing the entire U.S. consular network for the deportations announced by Trump.

When the Republican returned to the White House in January 2025, De la Fuente became a key figure in the negotiations with his administration, always maintaining a low profile and fully aligned with Sheinbaum in exercising caution in the face of Trump’s impulsive social media posts. In September, he hosted U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Mexico City.

Arturo Sarukhan, Mexico’s former ambassador to the U.S., said “the reshuffle in the foreign ministry was long overdue” but he didn’t want to comment about Velasco and wished him good luck.

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