Skip to main content

Top Mexican anti-drug official resigns

By the CNN Wire Staff
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
  • Mexican Interior Secretary Fernando Gomez Mont resigned Wednesday
  • He oversaw Mexico's strategy against the drug cartels
  • Jose Francisco Blake was named as his successor
  • A senior adviser to President Calderon also resigned

(CNN) -- Mexican President Felipe Calderon has announced the resignation of Interior Secretary Fernando Gomez Mont, who oversaw security efforts against drug cartels in Mexico.

Gomez Mont will be succeeded by attorney Jose Francisco Blake Mora.

"Currently, the country is facing challenges, but I am certain that us citizens, political actors and government have the potential, the duty and the will to surpass them," Gomez Mont said.

As interior minister, Gomez Mont oversaw the security strategy of the country against drug cartels, a battle that has cost thousands of lives. He also was in charge of operations such as the closure of an electric utility that had become inefficient and bloated, which was seen as a challenge to the power of the electricity workers' union.

Blake Mora is an attorney from Baja California state who served as chief of staff to the state government from 2007 until this week. Previously, he was a councilman in Tijuana, as well as a state and federal congressman.

Calderon also announced the resignation of Patricia Flores Elizondo, a senior presidential adviser. Mexico's current economic minister was to take her place as senior adviser, and Bruno Francisco Ferrari was named new economic minister.