Secretary of the Navy (Mexico)
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| Secretary of the Navy (Mexico) | |
|---|---|
| Post | Secretary of the Navy (Mexico) |
| Native name | Secretaría de Marina |
| Incumbent | Admiral José Rafael Ojeda Durán |
| Incumbentsince | 2018 |
| Department | Mexican Navy |
| Style | Almirante |
| Reports to | President of Mexico |
| Seat | Mexico City |
| Formation | 1821 |
| First | Admiral Mariano Francisco Sayago |
Secretary of the Navy (Mexico) is the head of the Mexican Navy and the civilian cabinet position charged with naval affairs in Mexico. The office interfaces with the Presidency of Mexico, the Secretariat of National Defense (Mexico), and various federal agencies including the Ministry of the Interior (Mexico), the National Guard (Mexico), and the Navy of the United Mexican States for maritime security, disaster response, and international naval cooperation. Incumbents have ranged from career Mexican Navy officers to politically appointed admirals involved in operations such as counter-narcotics, humanitarian assistance, and maritime law enforcement with links to partners like the United States Navy, the Royal Canadian Navy, and the Naval Forces of Brazil.
History
The office traces roots to the 1821 establishment of Mexico following the Mexican War of Independence, evolving through the First Mexican Empire, the Second Mexican Empire, and the Porfiriato into a modern cabinet post during the Mexican Revolution. Throughout the 19th century the ministry engaged in conflicts such as the Pastry War, the Mexican–American War, and interventions involving the United States Marine Corps and the Royal Navy (United Kingdom). In the 20th century it adapted to developments from the Mexican Revolution (1910–1920) to Cold War-era cooperation with the United States Department of Defense and participation in multinational exercises like UNITAS with the Brazilian Navy and the Argentine Navy. Recent decades saw expansion of responsibilities during the Mexican Drug War and increased roles in disaster relief after events such as Hurricane Wilma and the 2017 Puebla earthquake.
Role and Responsibilities
The Secretary oversees operational commands of the Mexican Navy, including surface, submarine, and naval aviation elements, coordinating with agencies such as the Mexican Coast Guard and the Federal Police (Mexico) for maritime interdiction against cartels associated with the Sinaloa Cartel and the Jalisco New Generation Cartel. The office manages procurement programs involving shipyards like ASTILLEROS NACIONALES, acquisition of vessels comparable to offshore patrol vessels procured internationally from partners like Navantia and Lockheed Martin, and oversight of training institutions including the Heroica Escuela Naval Militar and the Centro de Estudios Superiores Navales. It represents Mexico in international forums such as the International Maritime Organization and bilateral talks with the United States Southern Command and the Caribbean Community member states.
Organizational Structure
Beneath the Secretary sit chief posts including the Undersecretary for Naval Operations, the Undersecretary for Administration, the General Staff (EMA) and the commands for naval infantry (Marina Infantería), naval aviation, and logistics. Regional commands coordinate in gulf and pacific theaters including bases at Veracruz (city), Manzanillo, Colima, and Ensenada, with specialized units for amphibious operations, search and rescue, and counter-narcotics. The Secretariat maintains research links with institutions such as the National Autonomous University of Mexico, the Mexican Institute of Social Security for personnel welfare, and procurement oversight bodies tied to the Ministry of Finance and Public Credit (Mexico).
List of Secretaries
Notable holders include early figures from the 19th century, interwar leaders who professionalized the force, and contemporary admirals such as the incumbent Admiral José Rafael Ojeda Durán. Others have included senior officers who served under presidents from the Institutional Revolutionary Party and the National Action Party, contributing to shifts in doctrine during administrations of Lázaro Cárdenas del Río, Carlos Salinas de Gortari, Vicente Fox, Felipe Calderón, and Andrés Manuel López Obrador. The position has been occupied by figures rising through commands linked to the Naval Infantry Force and naval academies like the Heroica Escuela Naval.
Notable Policies and Operations
Policies implemented by secretaries have addressed counter-narcotics campaigns during the Mexican Drug War, participation in multinational exercises such as UNITAS and Rim of the Pacific Exercise, and domestic humanitarian missions responding to hurricanes like Hurricane Katrina-adjacent cooperation and regional disasters including the 1985 Mexico City earthquake aftermath support. Operations have included maritime interdictions linked to transnational organized crime networks, anti-piracy patrols in collaboration with the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), and offshore resource protection in areas proximate to the Gulf of Mexico and the Bay of Campeche.
Appointment and Tenure
The Secretary is appointed by the President of Mexico and typically selected from senior admirals or naval officers with careers in commands, staff, or academic posts at the Heroica Escuela Naval Militar and the Centro de Estudios Superiores Navales. Tenure aligns with presidential terms though resignations, retirements, or cabinet reshuffles have led to midterm changes under presidents such as Enrique Peña Nieto and Andrés Manuel López Obrador. The office interacts constitutionally with the Chamber of Deputies (Mexico) and the Senate of the Republic (Mexico) on budgetary and legislative matters affecting naval policy and procurement.