By Milcah Tanimu
Enrique Peña Nieto is a Mexican politician who served as the 64th president of Mexico from 2012 to 2018. He was a member of the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) and previously held the position of governor of the State of Mexico from 2005 to 2011. Here are some key details about his life and career:
**Bio Data**
– Full Name: Enrique Peña Nieto
– Category: Richest Politicians › Presidents
– Net Worth: $20 Million
– Date of Birth: July 20, 1966
– Place of Birth: Atlacomulco, Mexico
– Age: 57 years old
– Gender: Male
– Height: 5 feet 7 inches (1.72 meters)
– Nationality: Mexican
– Profession: Lawyer, Politician
**Biography**
Enrique Peña Nieto was born on July 20, 1966, in Atlacomulco, Mexico, to Maria del Perpetuo Socorro Ofelia Nieto Sanchez, a teacher, and Gilberto Enrique Pea del Mazo, an electrical engineer. He grew up with three younger siblings. Notably, he had relatives on both his mother’s and father’s sides who had held the office of state governor in Mexico.
Peña Nieto attended a Mexican school but spent his junior year of high school at the Denis Hall School in Alfred, Maine, where he studied English. At the age of 18, he moved to Mexico City and enrolled at the Panamerican University, where he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in legal studies. He later earned an MBA from the Instituto Tecnologico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey.
**Career**
Peña Nieto’s early exposure to politics came through his family, and he officially began his political career in 1984 when he joined the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI). Under the guidance of Montiel Rojas, he started his political journey and rose through the ranks within the party. In 2003, he won a municipal deputy position in his hometown of Atlacomulco.
In 2005, Peña Nieto successfully ran for governor of the State of Mexico and was inaugurated on September 15, 2005. During his gubernatorial term, he fulfilled several promised initiatives, including infrastructure projects such as highways and hospitals, as well as improvements to water infrastructure. Notably, he played a significant role in the creation of the Suburban Railway of the Valley of Mexico Metropolitan Area, which enhanced transportation connectivity for commuters to and from Mexico City.
Peña Nieto became the PRI party’s nominee in the 2012 Mexican presidential elections, winning the election and becoming Mexico’s president on December 1, 2012. During his presidency, he established the Pact for Mexico, which aimed to address legislative gridlock and led to the passage of more legislation during his term. His focus included dismantling monopolies, improving public education, enhancing financial regulation, and liberalizing Mexico’s energy industry.
However, his presidency faced challenges, including worsening corruption, crime, and drug trade issues. Additionally, his economic reforms were affected by the global decline in oil prices. Various contentious events took place during his term, including the escape of drug kingpin Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman from prison and the Iguala mass abduction.
Peña Nieto’s presidency ended on December 1, 2018, and he was succeeded by Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador. His approval ratings during his presidency saw a significant decline, and he is regarded as one of Mexico’s least popular presidents. The PRI party also suffered a significant defeat in the 2018 Mexican general election, in part due to his administration’s unpopularity.
In the later years of his presidency, Peña Nieto faced numerous corruption allegations and was accused of obstructing investigations into public corruption. The New York Times published an article in December 2017 alleging obstruction. Furthermore, 22 former governors, all PRI party members, were investigated for corruption during his term.
**Net Worth**
Enrique Peña Nieto has an estimated net worth of $20 million.
**Personal Life**
Enrique Peña Nieto was married to Monica Pretelini in 1993, and they had three children together. He also had two children outside of marriage during his marriage to Pretelini. After Pretelini’s passing in 2007, Peña Nieto began dating Angelica Rivera, a popular Televisa soap opera star, in 2008. They married in 2011 but later announced their divorce in February 2019, following the end of Peña Nieto’s presidential term.
