Peña Nieto, Enrique, 1966–, Mexican politician, president of Mexico (2012–18). He earned a law degree from the Panamerican Univ., Mexico City, and an M.B.A. from Monterrey Technological Institute. In 1984 he joined the long-ruling Institutional Revolutionary party (PRI), and rose in the party ranks. Active in the politics of Mexico state, he became a state congressman (2003–4) and governor (2005–11). As governor, he achieved popularity with efforts to improve the state economy and a public works programs. In his 2011–12 campaign for the Mexican presidency, Peña Nieto promised to reject the corruption and cronyism of the old PRI and deal with Mexico's bloody drug wars. His win returned the PRI to the office after a dozen years out of power. He subsequently secured the passage of a number of business, anticorruption, and other reforms, including ending the state-owned monopolies in the energy industry.
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