Juan Ramón de la Fuente

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is de la Fuente and the second or maternal family name is Ramírez.

Juan Ramón de la Fuente
De la Fuente in 2012
Secretary of Foreign Affairs
Incumbent
Assumed office October 1, 2024 (2024-10-01)
President	Claudia Sheinbaum
Preceded by	Alicia Bárcena Ibarra
Permanent Representative of Mexico to the United Nations
In office December 21, 2018 (2018-12-21) – September 13, 2023 (2023-09-13)
Appointed by	Senate of Mexico
Preceded by	Juan José Ignacio Gómez Camacho
Succeeded by	Alicia Buenrostro Massieu
Rector of the National Autonomous University of Mexico
In office November 17, 1999 (1999-11-17) – November 16, 2007 (2007-11-16)
Preceded by	Francisco Barnés de Castro
Succeeded by	José Narro Robles
Secretary of Health
In office December 1, 1994 (1994-12-01) – November 17, 1999 (1999-11-17)
President	Ernesto Zedillo
Preceded by	Jesús Kumate Rodríguez
Succeeded by	José Antonio González Fernández
Personal details
Born	(1951-09-05) September 5, 1951 Mexico City, Mexico
Political party	Independent
Parent(s)	Ramón de la Fuente Muñiz Beatriz Ramírez de la Fuente
Education	Physician with a specialization in psychiatry
Alma mater	National Autonomous University of Mexico (MD, 1969–1975) University of Minnesota (Specialization in Psychiatry, 2000–2003)
Profession	Physician, professor, public official, author, diplomat, researcher

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. From 18 February 2019 to 13 September 2023 he served as the permanent representative of Mexico to the United Nations.

Education

De 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. He sits in several boards in México and abroad, such as El Universal, an influential newspaper in Mexico City. Also, in 2008 he was elected as President of the International Association of Universities.

Career

De la Fuente began his career as Secretary of Health under President Ernesto Zedillo from 1994 to 1999. During his tenure, he contributed significantly to Mexico's public health initiatives, particularly in addressing addiction and mental health challenges. He succeeded Jesús Kumate Rodríguez and was followed by José Antonio González Fernández.

From 1999 to 2007, de la Fuente served as the Rector of the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), one of Latin America's most prestigious universities. During his leadership, he focused on educational reforms and expanding the university's global presence.

In 2018, he was appointed Mexico's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, a position he held until 2023 under President Andrés Manuel López Obrador. In this role, he succeeded Juan José Ignacio Gómez Camacho and was later succeeded by Alicia Buenrostro Massieu.

Secretary of Foreign Affairs (2024–Present)

In 2024, de la Fuente was appointed Secretary of Foreign Affairs by President Claudia Sheinbaum, taking office on October 1, 2024, following the tenure of Alicia Bárcena Ibarra.

Awards and recognition

He 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.