Omar Hamid García Harfuch (born 25 February 1982) is a Mexican politician, public official, and former police officer. A member of the National Regeneration Movement (Morena), he has served as Secretary of Security and Civilian Protection in the cabinet of President Claudia Sheinbaum since 2024. He served as Secretary of Citizen Security of Mexico City under then-Mayor Claudia Sheinbaum from 2019 to 2023.
Omar García Harfuch | |
|---|---|
 García Harfuch in 2023 | |
| Secretary of Security and Civilian Protection | |
| Assumed office 1 October 2024 | |
| Appointed by | Claudia Sheinbaum |
| Preceded by | Rosa Icela Rodríguez |
| Secretary of Citizen Security of Mexico City | |
| In office 4 October 2019 – 9 September 2023 | |
| Head of Government | Claudia Sheinbaum Martí Batres |
| Preceded by | Jesús Orta Martínez |
| Succeeded by | Pablo Vázquez Camacho |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 25 February 1982 Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico |
| Political party | National Regeneration Movement (Morena) |
| Alma mater | Universidad del Valle de México |
García Harfuch was a candidate for Mayor of Mexico City in the 2024 election. Despite winning his party's nomination for the position, he was replaced by Clara Brugada as Morena's candidate owing to gender-parity rules.[1]
Early life and education
editGarcía Harfuch was born in Cuernavaca, Morelos, to Javier García Paniagua, who served as president of the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) and Labour Secretary in 1981, and María Harfuch Hidalgo, an actress and singer. He completed a BA in law and public security at the Universidad del Valle de México.[2]
Policing career
editHis career in public service began in 2008 when he joined the Federal Police. In 2012 he was promoted to state coordinator of the Federal Police in Guerrero and, in 2015, to the Criminal Investigation Agency of the Attorney-General's office (FGR).[2]
On 4 October 2019, he was appointed Chief of Police in the Mexico City government's Secretariat of Citizen Security by Mayor Claudia Sheinbaum.[3]
Attempted assassination
editIn that capacity he was wounded in his vehicle during an attempted assassination on 26 June 2020 while travelling down the Paseo de la Reforma; two members of his security detail and a passer-by were killed.[4][5]
Political career
editIn September 2023, he announced his plans to seek his party's nomination for the position of Head of Government of Mexico City.[2] His primary opponent for the nomination was Clara Brugada, mayor of the borough of Iztapalapa. Polling conducted in October 2023 found him to be the most popular candidate among voters, taking 33% to Brugada's 21%.[6] Despite winning the internal selection process, his candidacy was put aside in favor of Clara Brugada because of gender-parity rules.[1]
García Harfuch sought election to be one of Mexico City's two senators in the 2024 Senate election, occupying the first place on the Sigamos Haciendo Historia coalition's two-name formula alongside Ernestina Godoy.[7] The coalition won the election with 54.3% of the vote, assuring Senate seats for the formula's two members.[8] [9] On 5 July 2024, however, president-elect Claudia Sheinbaum announced that García Harfuch was to serve in her cabinet as Secretary of Security and Civilian Protection as of 1 October.[10] His Senate seat will be assumed by his substitute, Francisco Chíguil Figueroa.[11]
References
edit- ^ a b "Brugada pierde encuesta con García Harfuch pero es candidata a CDMX". El Financiero. 11 November 2023. Retrieved 31 May 2024.
- ^ a b c Vargas, Octavio (20 September 2023). "¿Quién es Omar García Harfuch y cuál es la trayectoria en la vida pública rumbo a las elecciones del 2024?". Infobae. Retrieved 31 May 2024.
- ^ "Orta renuncia a la Secretaría de Seguridad de la CDMX; llega García Harfuch". Expansión. 4 October 2019. Retrieved 31 May 2024.
- ^ Buchanan, Susy (26 June 2020). "Mexico City police chief wounded in armed attack; 3 people killed". Mexico News Daily. Retrieved 31 May 2024.
- ^ Contreras, Joan (26 June 2020). "Armamento de fuerzas especiales fue utilizado en atentado contra García Harfuch". Diario de México. Retrieved 31 May 2024.
- ^ Zissis, Carin (2023-11-07). "Mexico City's Mayor Race Will Echo Beyond the Capital". Americas Quarterly. Retrieved 2024-06-08.
- ^ "Elecciones 2024: Candidatas y candidatos". Instituto Nacional Electoral. Retrieved 28 May 2024.
- ^ "Senadurías: Ciudad de México". Cómputos Distritales 2024. INE. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
- ^ Tapia Sandoval, Anayeli (2024-06-04). "Resultados electorales: ¿Qué pasó con las candidaturas de Omar García Harfuch y Sandra Cuevas?". infobae (in European Spanish). Retrieved 2024-06-05.
- ^ "Rosa Icela Rodríguez irá a Segob; García Harfuch a Seguridad; Delgado a SEP y Montiel en Bienestar". Proceso. 4 July 2024. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
- ^ Vargas, Octavio (4 July 2024). "Quién suplirá a Omar García Harfuch en el Senado tras nombramiento como Secretario de Seguridad por Sheinbaum". Infobae. Retrieved 5 July 2024.