Aurelio Nuño Mayer

Aurelio Nuño Mayer
Secretary of Public Education
Incumbent
Assumed office August 27, 2015 (2015-08-27)
Appointed by	Enrique Peña Nieto
Preceded by	Emilio Chuayffet
President's Chief of Staff
In office December 1, 2012 (2012-12-01) – August 27, 2015 (2015-08-27)
Preceded by	Gerardo Ruiz Mateos
Succeeded by	Francisco Guzmán Ortiz
Personal details
Born	(1977-12-12) December 12, 1977 Mexico City, Mexico
Political party	Institutional Revolutionary Party
Alma mater	Ibero-American University

Aurelio Nuño Mayer KBE (born in Mexico City, December 12, 1977) is a Mexican politician, member of the Institutional Revolutionary Party since 2004 (Partido Revolucionario Institucional, PRI). At the beginning of President Enrique Peña Nieto’s administration, he was designated Chief of Staff to the President. He currently serves as the Secretary of the Department of Education (Secretaría de Educación Pública, SEP).

Education

Aurelio Nuño holds a Bachelor of Science in Political Science and Public Administration from the Ibero-American University (UIA) and a Master of Science in Latin American Studies from Oxford University (St Antony’s College), where he graduated with the thesis “Building a National State ‘without’ taxation: the Political Consequences of the Fiscal Evolution in Mexico after the Armed Revolution, 1920-1930.”

During his time as an undergraduate student, he was President of the Political Science Students Association. At St Antony’s College, he studied with the renowned historian Alan Knight, considered an authority on Mexican history.

Career

Mr. Nuño initiated his political career as Vice-coordinator of Strategic Planning for the PRI Parliamentary Group in the Senate, during the 58th and 59th Legislatures. Afterwards, he became Chief of Staff to the former Budget Committee’s Chairman and current Finance Secretary, Luis Videgaray Caso. Mr. Nuño also served as advisor to the then Governor of the State of Mexico, Enrique Peña Nieto.

Subsequently, he was in charge of communication strategies during Eruviel Ávila Villegas’ campaign for Governor of the State of Mexico and then during Enrique Peña’s Presidential Campaign in 2012. Shortly after, he was assigned the education portfolio in the post-election transition team, where he was also part of the group designated by the President-elect to negotiate a political agreement between the three major parties, the Pact for Mexico (Pacto por México), together with Miguel Ángel Osorio Chong, now Secretary of the Interior, and Luis Videgaray Caso.

Chief of Staff to the President

Nuño Mayer speaking at an event of the Aspen Institute at the Torre Mayor in Mexico City

On December 1, 2012, Aurelio Nuño was named Chief of Staff to the President Enrique Peña Nieto.

During his tenure as Chief of Staff, Mr. Nuño was a member of the Pact for Mexico executive council, where he participated in the negotiations of the 13 structural reforms. He was one of the President’s closest aides responsible for liaising with members of Congress, Senators, and leaders of political parties, as well as with a number of State Governors. For instance, he was designated as the official contact person between the President and the governments of the State of Mexico and the Federal District (now Mexico City).

Moreover, Mr. Nuño participated in the design of some of the Federal Government’s most important policies and projects. These include, among others: Mexico City’s New Airport; the National Program to Eradicate Hunger; PROSPERA, which is a CCT national program that supports not only the provision of food, health, and education, but also promotes beneficiaries’ access to higher education and formal employment, and facilitates access to financial services; the establishment of Special Economic Zones; and the “Plan Michoacan” and the “Plan Nuevo Guerrero” which are comprehensive social development plans in the States of Michoacan and Guerrero.

Aurelio Nuño was also responsible for designing and coordinating the Federal Government’s communications strategy while he was also in charge of managing the national risk agenda.

Secretary of Education

On August 27, 2015, Mr. Nuño was appointed Secretary of Education by President Enrique Peña Nieto replacing Emilio Chuayffet, with the mission to implement the education reform. After more than a year exercising the position in November 16th, 2016 a video of Nuño talking during an official event to first grade students at in an elementary school became viral, in the video Aurelio Nuño told the children students: "ahorita los van a llevar para que vayan y puedan tener los libros que les gustan y los empiecen a ler... (pauses) Seguro los van a ler... (pauses) Ustedes van a ler?"(Now they will take so you can go and have the books you like and you start to ler them... (pauses) for sure you are going to ler them... (pauses) Will you ler them?) during those words Nuño repeated the word "ler" repetedly, which led to first grader named Andrea to tell Aurelio Nuño the words: "No se dice Ler! Se dice Leer!" (It's not said ler, it's leer(read)!) pointing to the whole audience Secretary of Education Nuño had mispronounced the word "Leer" (read) by saying the non-existent word "Ler". This leading to much criticism towards the public worker, with mexican citizens andnews media saying Nuño didn't knew how to read, and question his preparation for his job.^[1] Days after student Andrea said in an interview, that it was't her intention to humillate Nuño, but that would he mispronounce "ler" or any word again, she would correct him again,^[2] further adding she would even correct the president. (Referencing Enrique Peña Nieto's fairly common media gaffes.^[3]

Awards and Honors

• 300 Most Influential Leaders in Mexico, 2013, 2014, and 2015.
• 30 Young Promises Under 30, 2014 Expansion Magazine
• Young Global Leaders, World Economic Forum 2015

References

External links

• Official Site.
• Aurelio Nuño Mayer on Twitter.
• Aurelio Nuño Mayer on Facebook
• Aurelio Nuño Mayer on Instagram.