Enrique Peña Nieto , commonly referred to by his initials EPN, is a Mexican politician serving as the 57th President of Mexico, since 2012. He previously served in the State of Mexico as Secretary of Administration , Representative , and Governor .
Born in Atlacomulco and raised in Toluca, both in the State of Mexico, Peña Nieto attended Panamerican University graduating with a B.A. in legal studies. He began his political career after attaining an M.B.A. from ITESM, by joining the Institutional Revolutionary Party in 1984. After serving as a public notary in Mexico City, he began an ascension through local political ranks in the late 1990s culminating in his 2005 campaign for Governor of the State of Mexico. As governor, he pledged to deliver 608 compromisos to his constituency to varying levels of success. His tenure was marked by low-to-moderate approval of his handling of a rising murder rate and various public health issues. He launched his presidential campaign on a platform of economic competitiveness and open government. After performing well in polls and a series of high-profile candidate withdrawals, Peña Nieto was elected president with 38.14% of the vote.
During his first four years, Peña Nieto led an expansive breakup of monopolies, liberalized Mexico's energy sector, reformed public education, and modernized the country's financial regulation. However, political gridlock, allegations of media bias, gradually worsened corruption, crime, and drug trade in Mexico. He instated the multi-lateral Pact for Mexico which soothed inter-party fighting and led to increased legislation across the political spectrum. Global drops in oil prices and economic slowdown of the 2010s, rendered his economic reforms moderately successful which lowered political support for Peña Nieto. His handling of the Iguala mass kidnapping in 2014 and escaped drug lord Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán from Altiplano prison in 2015 sparked domestic and international criticism.
An unprecedented number of corruption scandals involving figures of the PRI, such as Andrés Granier Melo, Javier Duarte, César Duarte Jáquez, Humberto Moreira, Rodrigo Medina de la Cruz, Roberto Borge Angulo and even the First Lady Angélica Rivera, further worsened the public's perception of the PRI, which suffered the worst defeat of its history in the 2018 general elections.Historical evaluations and approval rates of his presidency have been mostly negative. Detractors highlight a series of failed policies and a strained public presence while supporters note increased economic competitiveness and loosening of gridlock. He began his term with an approval rate of 50%, hovered around 35% during his inter-years and finally bottomed out at 12% in January 2017. Peña Nieto is seen as one of the most controversial and least popular presidents in the history of Mexico.
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20. July 1966
