Juan Ramón de la Fuente Ramírez (born 5 September 1951 in Mexico City) is a Mexican psychiatrist, academician and politician who has served as the secretary of foreign affairs since 2024 in the cabinet of Claudia Sheinbaum. He previously served as secretary of health in the cabinet of President Ernesto Zedillo (1994–1999) and as rector of the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) from 1999 to 2007. He is a professor emeritus of Psychiatry at National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) and Chairs the Board of the Aspen Institute Mexico.[1] From 18 February 2019 to 13 September 2023 he served as the Permanent Representative of Mexico to the United Nations.[2]
Juan Ramón de la Fuente | |
|---|---|
 De la Fuente in 2012 | |
| Secretary of Foreign Affairs | |
| Assumed office 1 October 2024 | |
| President | Claudia Sheinbaum |
| Preceded by | Alicia Bárcena Ibarra |
| Permanent Representative of Mexico to the United Nations | |
| In office 18 February 2019 – 13 September 2023 | |
| President | Andrés Manuel López Obrador |
| Preceded by | Juan José Gómez Camacho |
| Succeeded by | Alicia Buenrostro Massieu |
| Rector of the National Autonomous University of Mexico | |
| In office 1999–2007 | |
| Preceded by | Francisco Barnés de Castro |
| Succeeded by | José Narro Robles |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 5 September 1951 Mexico City, Mexico |
| Alma mater | National Autonomous University of Mexico (MD) University of Minnesota (MS) |
| Profession | Physician |
| Awards | National Prize for Arts and Sciences (2006) |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Psychiatry, addictions |
| Institutions | National Autonomous University of Mexico |
Education
editDe la Fuente graduated from Medical School of Medicine from the National Autonomous University in 1976 and trained in Psychiatry at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, United States. When he returned to Mexico he founded the Clinical Research Unit of the Mexican Institute of Psychiatry and joined the Faculty of UNAM's School of Medicine, where he was appointed Dean in 1991. In 1995 he was also elected President of the Mexican Academy of Sciences and a few years later he was appointed Secretary of Health by President Zedillo. In 1999, he resigned his cabinet post to be appointed Rector of the National Autonomous University of Mexico and in 2003 he was reappointed for a second term. In 2008 he was elected President of the International Association of Universities at UNESCO and was called by Ban Ki-moon to be member of the Council of the United Nations University in Tokyo.[3] He sits in several boards in México and abroad, such as El Universal, an influential newspaper in Mexico City.[3][4] Also, in 2008 he was elected as President of the International Association of Universities.
Awards and recognition
editHe has written over two hundred papers and fourteen books, and has received numerous awards and honorary degrees such as the Distinguished Alumnus Award from the Mayo Clinic, the Presidential Award for Excellence of the University of Texas and a Doctorate on Humane Letters from Arizona State University, amongst many others. He also received from President Vicente Fox the National Prize for Arts and Sciences (Mexico), the highest recognition of Mexico's Government. Dr. de la Fuente is one of the most respected figures in Mexican society.
References
edit- ^ Aspen Institute (2013-11-14). "The Aspen Institute Launches Aspen Institute Mexico Partnership". Retrieved 2013-11-14.
- ^ "New Permanent Representative of Mexico Presents Credentials". United Nations Meetings Coverage & Press Releases. United Nations. 18 February 2019. Retrieved 21 March 2019.
- ^ a b United Nations University. "UNU Council Members: Juan Ramón de la Fuente". Archived from the original on 2008-01-31. Retrieved 2008-05-31.
- ^ El Universal (2008-01-22). "Dan la bienvenida a Juan Ramón de la Fuente" (in Spanish). Retrieved 2008-05-31.