Mexico nominates scholar as next ambassador to United States

MEXICO CITY, Aug. 4 (UPI) -- Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto has nominated scholar Miguel E. Basáñez as the country's next ambassador to the United States.

Basáñez is an adjunct professor and director at The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University.

Basáñez "helped introduce the use of opinion polling to Mexican elections, serving as pollster of the President of México, General Attorney of the State of Mexico and the Chief of Staff for the Secretary of Energy (1980-1988)," according to the Wilson Center.

Former ambassador Eduardo Medina-Mora Icaza resigned in March after he was elected as a Justice to Mexico's Supreme Court. Ambassador Alejandro Estivill acted as chargé d'affaires, a position he previously held in London after Medina-Mora was appointed to Washington.

U.S. President Barack Obama has reportedly approved of the nomination. Obama announced early June that he will nominate Roberta S. Jacobson, a top Department of State official, as the United States ambassador to Mexico.

Jacobson, 53, helped lead negotiations between the United States and Cuba to re-establish diplomatic relations. She has previous experience with Mexico, serving as deputy assistant secretary for Canada, Mexico and North American Free Trade Agreement issues.