04/14/11 – Marisela Morales Ibáñez’s nomination for attorney general was approved by the Mexican senate on April 8. Her nomination by President Calderón occurred after the resignation of former attorney general Arturo Chávez Chávez on March 31. Chávez stated that he was resigning in order to “attend to urgent personal issues.” Morales is the first woman ever to hold this position in Mexico.
Morales’ nomination has been received by many with positive reviews and there are high hopes that she will help strengthen rule of law throughout the country. The National Institute of Women (Inmujeres) has stated that Morales’ appointment shows women are capable of carrying out tasks of the highest importance. Since 2008, Morales has headed the Assistant Attorney General’s Office for Special Investigations on Organized Crime. She has been recognized for her efforts that have resulted in catching some of the most notorious drug-traffickers in Mexico. Morales played an essential role in creating Mexico’s first federal witness-protection program and has collaborated with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to reunite children of trafficking victims with their mothers in the United States. In early March, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and first lady Michelle Obama awarded her a 2011 International Women of Courage Award.
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