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Alejandro Gertz Manero resigned Thursday as Mexico’s attorney general after being nominated for a diplomatic post, ending his term nearly seven years after his 2019 appointment. In a letter to the Senate, the 86-year-old said President Claudia Sheinbaum had tapped him to serve as Mexico’s ambassador to an unspecified “friendly country.”
Although the law requires a “serious cause” for early resignation, Gertz cited the ambassadorship as the reason for stepping down. Opposition lawmakers argued the explanation does not meet the legal threshold and questioned why a diplomatic posting should justify leaving the country’s top prosecutorial job.
His departure also comes as he faced renewed scrutiny over two high-profile investigations: the case of a Tabasco security chief linked to the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, and a maritime fuel-theft scheme that exposed alleged corruption involving Navy personnel.
The Senate, controlled by the ruling Morena party, approved his resignation despite opposition protests that the move appeared politically driven and could further concentrate control over the Attorney General’s Office.
Before leaving, Gertz appointed Ernestina Godoy as Special Prosecutor for Competition Control, making her interim attorney general and a potential candidate for the permanent role.
Several major cases remain unresolved, including Ayotzinapa, Odebrecht, the “31 scientists” investigation, Rancho Izaguirre and La Estafa Maestra.
