Mexico's Secretariat of Women to Stay Vacant Until September Amid Criticism

Mexico's Secretariat of Women will remain without a permanent head until at least September, despite President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo announcing Laura Itzel Castillo Juárez as the designated successor. Castillo Juárez, currently the president of the Senate, will only assume her new role after concluding her legislative duties on August 31.

The federal dependency has been vacant since April 16, when Citlalli Hernández Mora stepped down to support Morena's electoral campaign for the 2027 elections. President Sheinbaum initially promised a replacement within the same week of Hernández Mora's resignation but failed to meet that deadline, citing the need to "review the profile of the colleagues."

This prolonged vacancy has drawn criticism from opposition parties. Paulina Rubio, vice president of the Chamber of Deputies for the PAN party, welcomed the eventual appointment but condemned the perceived lack of urgency. She accused the current administration, led by "the first Presidenta with an A," of demonstrating disinterest in women's priorities by allowing the Secretariat to remain leaderless for an extended period.

Rubio highlighted that other cabinet positions, such as the Chancellery, Treasury, and Ministry of Welfare, have seen swift replacements following resignations. The delay in appointing a head for the Secretariat of Women, created as a significant step for women and victims of violence, is seen by critics as a step backward for the government's stated commitment to gender equality.

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the first Presidenta with an A thinks there is no rush and has to wait for the current president of the Senate to conclude her duties to assume this entrusted responsibility.