Mexico's Sheinbaum taps first woman to lead state power firm CFE

Mexican President-elect Claudia Sheinbaum on Monday named Emilia Esther Calleja to lead state power firm Comision Federal de Electricidad (CFE), making her the first woman to hold the post.

Calleja has held a number of posts at the power company over the past two decades and adds to the contingent of technocrats that Sheinbaum has named to her cabinet ahead of taking office on October. 1.

Calleja, standing alongside Sheinbaum at a press conference, said she would continue working in line with the aims of the current government, which sought to boost state control over the country's energy sector.

The power policy of President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has been severely criticised by the opposition who argue it has been expensive and ineffective, resulting in a lack of new power generation particularly in regards to renewable sources.

Mexico suffered occasional power blackouts amid record temperatures this year.

Sheinbaum said she would later share more details about her administration's energy plans, including hydrocarbons and renewable power sources.

“We will continue to invest in electricity generation using worthy financial mechanisms that do not put the country into debt,” Sheinbaum told the conference.

The president-elect has yet to announce who will head Pemex , the heavily indebted state-run oil firm.

Reuters