Who is Josefina Rodríguez Zamora, the next head of the Ministry of Tourism in Claudia Sheinbaum’s government?

At just 35 years old, she becomes the youngest official in Claudia Sheinbaum’s cabinet. (Facebook Josefina Rodríguez Zamora)

In a new edition of ‘Cabinet Thursday’, President-elect Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo announced three more Secretaries of State on July 18: Claudia Curiel de Icaza in Culture, Marath Bolaños in Labor and Social Security, and Josefina Rodríguez Zamora in Tourism.

Regarding the latter, the former head of the Government of Mexico City highlighted that despite her youth, she has her full support due to her experience: “She is a brilliant young woman originally from Tlaxcala and since 2021 she has been collaborating with our colleague Lorena Cuéllar as Secretary of Tourism of Tlaxcala,” said Sheinbaum from the Interactive Museum of Economics (MIDE).

“If you ask any Secretary of Tourism in the country, they highly recommend Josefina, she is a creative young woman. Today she is the vice president of the Central Zone of the Association of Secretaries of Tourism of Mexico (Asetur) and that is why I am very pleased to present the youngest member of the cabinet, Josefina Rodríguez Zamora, as Secretary of Tourism,” boasted the president-elect.

Claudia Sheinbaum introduced three new cabinet members who are young but experienced in their fields. (REUTERS/Henry Romero)

Born on March 3, 1989 in the city of Tlaxcala, he studied Business Administration at the Universidad Iberoamericana Campus Puebla, has a diploma in Emotional Management and a master’s degree in Senior Management from the Universidad del Valle de Tlaxcala.

She was an advisor to the Chief Clerk of the Public Education Secretariat of the city of Puebla and deputy director of Planning at the Atlixco Institute of Technology. She also directed the “Espiral Educando” program for teachers and has been a restaurateur since 2016.

In 2021, she was a candidate for local deputy for District VII for the Fuerza por México party and also served as head of the Tlaxcala Fair Board. That same year, Governor Lorena Cuéllar Cisneros appointed her as Secretary of Tourism for the Government of Tlaxcala.

According to her profile on the state government’s website, Josefina Rodríguez Zamora created the “Tlaxcala sí existe” campaign, which aims to position the state as a tourist destination. She collaborated in the designation of Ixtenco as a Magical Town and has helped publish books that highlight Tlaxcala’s cultural heritage.

Claudia Sheinbaum boasted that at her young age she also created the “Tlaxcala Brilla” platform, won the International Innovation Award, was a manager for obtaining the Guinness Record for the longest carpet in the world in Huamantla, and has also been responsible for the creation of strategic alliances between the Tlaxcala Tourism Secretariat and the private sector.

This is the profile of the next Secretary of Tourism. (Infobae Mexico/Jesus Aviles)

Josefina Rodríguez Zamora said after her appointment that it was an honor and privilege for her to serve Mexico and to continue the transformation that Andrés Manuel López Obrador began in 2018 and that as of October will be in the hands of Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo. “We will mark the new era of tourism, where Mexico will position itself competitively through innovative promotional tools and policies that promote sustainable development in each of the destinations,” she said.

The future federal Secretary of Tourism promised in her first speech that during her administration there will be tourism for all sectors of the population and that she will focus her efforts so that it benefits all Mexicans. “I will put all my commitment, loyalty and creativity into developing tourism for all, where indigenous peoples, artisans and entire communities of the 32 states will benefit from this noble industry,” said the young 35-year-old official.

“Mexico is the sixth most visited country in the world, this is due to the cohesion and synergies that have allowed our country to position itself as a unique destination in the world thanks to our cultural, historical and natural heritage: 11 thousand kilometers of coastline, the eighth biodiversity in the world and, of course, our people. Who better than a Mexican to pamper our travelers? Our strength lies in our people,” he added from the MIDE podium.

First speech by Josefina Rodríguez Zamora, future Secretary of Tourism.