Tijuana Mayor Ismael Burgueño Ruiz has formally assumed the role of state coordinator for the Association of Local Authorities of Mexico (AALMAC) in Baja California. The appointment marks a strategic effort to deepen collaboration among municipalities and accelerate regional development.
The swearing-in ceremony was spearheaded by Alma Denisse Sánchez Barragán, national president of AALMAC.
In his first address following the appointment, the mayor framed the new responsibility as a pivotal opportunity to unite local governments around comprehensive strategies aimed at addressing the needs of residents.
“Intermunicipal coordination will be essential to effectively serve the population, ensuring that no one is left behind,” Burgueño said. “We will guarantee that social programs reach those who need them most, in line with the vision of our president, Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo, and our governor, Marina del Pilar Ávila Olmeda.”
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Mayor Ismael Burgueño thanked AALMAC’s leadership for their trust and underscored his commitment to working across all three levels of government.
“Our priority will be to maintain close collaboration to ensure a government that is accessible, socially just, and centered on the people,” he added.
State Government Secretary Alfredo Álvarez Cárdenas attended the ceremony and stated:
“Strengthening municipalities is essential for the Mexican state to function effectively. It not only enables local coordination but also creates a dynamic space where governance, territory, and citizens converge.”
Furthermore, the national president of AALMAC, Alma Denisse Sánchez, stated:
“I thank the mayor for now leading this association’s state coordination. This state is the strong arm of our country, and I am sure we will succeed with you as the head of the association in the state of Baja California.”
Representatives from the National Institute for Federalism and Municipal Development (INAFED) also participated, with Deputy Director Mario Alberto García Santos noting that municipalities remain the level of government closest to citizens. “That proximity makes them critical to delivering solutions and improving quality of life,” García Santos said.
The new state coordination is expected to concentrate on key priorities including security, infrastructure, regional development, and metropolitan cooperation, drawing on shared best practices and the implementation of effective public policy.
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The swearing-in ceremony was attended by Arnulfo Guerrero León, Tijuana’s Municipal Government Secretary; City Auditor Teresita Balderas Beltrán; María del Rocío Adame Muñoz, Mayor of Playas de Rosarito; Beatriz Adriana Olivares Pinal, head of the National Center for Crime Prevention and Citizen Participation; Col. José Guadalupe Gómez Salado, commander of the 28th Infantry Battalion; and Liliana Michel Sánchez Allende, president of the Baja California State Congress.
In addition, Alejandro Isaac Fragoso López, President of the Superior Court of Justice and the Council of the Judiciary of the State of Baja California; Miguel Ángel Guerrero Castro, Director of the Investigation Units Coordination of the Regional Prosecutor’s Office of Tijuana; Gerardo Raúl Díaz Valorado, General Director of Government Banking at BBVA México; and Hermilo Pérez Cabrera, General Director of AALMAC, were also in attendance. They were joined by congresspeople, councilmembers, and municipal authorities.
