Tijuana’s city council voted unanimously on Friday to appoint Juan Ramón Vázquez Valadez as the city’s new Municipal Government Secretary, replacing Arnulfo Guerrero León, who formally resigned on June 3. The vote drew 16 in favor with no opposition.
Vázquez Valadez, a Morena party member and former state legislator, was chosen from a three-candidate shortlist that also included Edgar Martínez Ángel and Luis Gabriel Añas Espinoza. He took the oath of office at a council session presided over by Mayor Ismael Burgueño Ruiz, with Síndica Procuradora Teresita Balderas also present.
From State Congress to City Hall
Before the appointment, Vázquez Valadez represented District 12, based in Tijuana, in the Baja California state congress. He had served as a state legislator since 2019, when he took the seat vacated by Catalino Zavala Márquez, who left to become Secretary of Education under then-Governor Jaime Bonilla Valdez. To accept the municipal post, Vázquez Valadez requested a formal leave of absence from the state congress on June 4.
His legislative suplente (alternate), Jesús Daniel Razo Córdova, is expected to fill his vacant seat in the state congress. Razo Córdova is reportedly the stepson of Vázquez Valadez.
Narco Banners Cast Shadow Over Transition
The appointment comes with a charged backdrop. Guerrero León’s resignation followed the appearance of narco-banners (narcomantas) in Tijuana that referenced him by name. Mayor Burgueño Ruiz denied any connection between the banners and the personnel change, calling the transition a routine cabinet adjustment aimed at strengthening municipal institutions.
Guerrero León had held the post since October 1, 2024, the start of Tijuana’s 25th city council administration. The Municipal Government Secretary oversees key administrative functions, including coordination of public order across the city.
New Secretary Pledges Service
In his first remarks after taking office, Vázquez Valadez pledged to work with discipline and humility. He is considered a close political ally of Mayor Burgueño Ruiz, and his name had circulated as a candidate for the position since early in the current administration. Vázquez Valadez said he would coordinate with all sectors to address the needs of Tijuana residents.
This story was first reported by Jornada BC and confirmed by El Imparcial and San Diego Red.