* Mexico’s President Andrés Manuel López Obrador has named Miguel Ángel Maciel Torres as his new energy minister. Maciel, who has served as deputy hydrocarbon minister in the energy ministry (Sener) since 2019, takes over from Rocío Nahle, who resigned from her post to enter the race to become the candidate for the ruling Movimiento Regeneración Nacional (Morena) party in gubernatorial elections in Veracruz state next year. A petroleum engineer by training, Maciel worked for state-run oil company Pemex for 32 years, holding various roles within Pemex Exploración y Producción (PEP), a subsidiary engaged in the exploration and production of oil, gas, and other hydrocarbons. Among the challenges facing Maciel will be ensuring the Dos Bocas (Olmeca) oil refinery in Tabasco state is fully operational before the end of López Obrador’s term in December 2024.
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