AMLO shakes up transport sector with top regulatory appointments

Mexico made two key changes this week at transport regulatory agencies amidst criticism over several recent exits from the administration of President Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO).

The highest-profile departure was the surprise resignation of economy minister Tatiana Clouthier at the beginning of this month.

AMLO’s new appointments were made at railway sector regulator ARTF and civil aviation authority AFAC.

ARTF

On Wednesday, the infrastructure, communications and transport ministry (SICT) said Evaristo Iván Ángeles Zermeño had been selected to take charge of ARTF.

Ángeles is a lawyer with more than 14 years of experience in railway regulation. He replaced David Camacho Alcocer, who had been in charge of the agency since 2021 and helped develop a pipeline with several new railway projects. 

ARTF is part of SICT and oversees the rail sector’s traffic, concessions, investments and infrastructure projects.

Evaristo Iván Ángeles Zermeño (pictured left) and SICT head Jorge Nuño Lara (right)

AFAC

On Monday, SICT said that López Obrador had appointed retired general and pilot Miguel Enrique Vallín Osuna as the agency’s director, replacing general Carlos Antonio Rodríguez Munguía. 

The top priority of the new director will be to bring back the country’s international safety rating to Category 1, according to SICT’s statement.

The US Federal Aviation Administration downgraded the rating to Category 2 last year, causing a major blow to the reputation of the Mexican airline industry.

Miguel Enrique Vallín Osuna (left) with Nuño Lara (right)