Felipe Calderón facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Felipe Calderón
Official portrait, 2006
63rd President of Mexico
In office 1 December 2006 – 30 November 2012
Preceded by	Vicente Fox
Succeeded by	Enrique Peña Nieto
Secretary of Energy of Mexico
In office 2 September 2003 – 1 June 2004
President	Vicente Fox
Preceded by	Ernesto Martens
Succeeded by	Fernando Elizondo Barragán
Director General of the National Works and Public Services Bank
In office 12 February 2003 – 2 September 2003
President	Vicente Fox
Preceded by	Tomás Ruiz González
Succeeded by	Luis Pazos
President of the Political Coordination Board of the Chamber of Deputies
In office 1 September 2001 – 31 August 2002
Preceded by	Beatriz Paredes Rangel
Succeeded by	Martí Batres Guadarrama
Member of the Chamber of Deputies for Michoacán (5th electoral region)
In office 1 September 2000 – 12 February 2003
Succeeded by	Nohelia Linares González
In office 1 September 1991 – 31 August 1994
President of the National Action Party
In office 9 March 1996 – 9 March 1999
Preceded by	Carlos Castillo Peraza
Succeeded by	Luis Felipe Bravo Mena
Personal details
Born	Felipe de Jesús Calderón Hinojosa (1962-08-18) 18 August 1962 (age 62) Morelia, Michoacán, Mexico
Political party	National Action Party (before 2018)
Other political affiliations	México Libre
Spouse	Margarita Zavala ​ (m. 1993)​
Children	3
Parents	Luis Calderón Vega María del Carmen Hinojosa
Relatives	Calderón Hinojosa family
Alma mater	Free School of Law (LLB) Mexico Autonomous Institute of Technology (MA) Harvard University (MPA)
Cabinet	Cabinet of Felipe Calderón
Awards
Signature

Felipe de Jesús Calderón Hinojosa (born 18 August 1962) is a Mexican politician. He served as the 63rd president of Mexico from 2006 to 2012. Before becoming president, he was the Secretary of Energy from 2003 to 2004 under President Vicente Fox. He was a member of the National Action Party (PAN) for 30 years.

Calderón held several important roles in the PAN, including its National President. He also served as a Federal Deputy. He became the PAN's candidate for president in the 2006 Mexican general election. After a close election, the official results showed Calderón winning by a small margin. The Federal Electoral Tribunal later confirmed his victory.

During his time as president, Calderón focused on improving security in Mexico. He also worked to strengthen the economy and improve public services. His presidency saw the creation of many new universities and hospitals. He also worked to expand healthcare access for more Mexicans.

Early Life and Education

United States President Barack Obama with the family of Mexican President Felipe Calderón in Mexico City on 16 April 2009.

Growing Up in Mexico

Felipe de Jesús Calderón Hinojosa was born in Morelia, Michoacán, Mexico, on 18 August 1962. He is the youngest of five brothers. His parents were Carmen Hinojosa Calderón and Luis Calderón Vega.

His father, Luis Calderón Vega, was a very important figure in the National Action Party (PAN). He helped start the party and spent most of his life working for it. Young Felipe often helped his father during political campaigns. He would hand out flyers and chant slogans at rallies.

Studying to Become a Leader

After growing up in Morelia, Calderón moved to Mexico City. There, he earned a law degree from the Escuela Libre de Derecho. He later continued his studies, getting a master's degree in economics from the Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México (ITAM). In 2000, he earned another master's degree in Public Administration from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.

Following his father's path, he joined the PAN. He met his wife, Margarita Zavala, in the party. She also served in Congress. They have three children: María, Luis Felipe, and Juan Pablo. Calderón is Roman Catholic.

Political Career

Felipe Calderón with Vicente Fox Quesada.

Early Roles and Leadership

In his early twenties, Calderón became president of the PAN's youth movement. He served as a local representative in the Legislative Assembly. He was also a member of the federal Chamber of Deputies twice. In 1995, he ran for governor of Michoacán. From 1996 to 1999, he served as the national president of the PAN. During this time, his party controlled many state capitals.

Working in Government

After Vicente Fox became president, Calderón was appointed director of Banobras. This is a state-owned bank that helps fund public works. He later joined the presidential cabinet as Secretary of Energy. He left this position in 2004.

Presidential Campaign of 2006

Calderón was chosen as the PAN's presidential candidate. He won against other strong candidates in his party's primary elections. This showed the party's democratic process.

His campaign gained strength after the first presidential debate. Polls showed him gaining support. The election was very close. The official results from the Federal Electoral Institute showed Calderón winning by a small margin. His victory was later confirmed by the Federal Electoral Tribunal.

Founding a New Political Movement

After being a member of the PAN for three decades, Calderón left the party in November 2018. He then started his own political movement called Free Mexico (México Libre). This group aimed to participate in the 2021 legislative elections. However, its registration was not approved by the INE.

Presidency

Taking Office as President

Presidential styles of Felipe Calderón
Reference style	Presidente de los Estados Unidos Mexicanos "President of the United Mexican States"
Spoken style	Presidente de Mexico "President of Mexico"
Alternative style	Señor Presidente "Mr. President"

The Mexican Constitution says that the President must take an oath of office before Congress. On 30 November 2006, outgoing President Vicente Fox Quesada officially handed over the presidential sash to Felipe Calderón. Calderón then gave a speech to the Mexican public, calling for unity.

Calderón's inauguration ceremony on 1 December was very quick. He recited the oath of office and then left the building. He took office with the smallest percentage of votes for a winning presidential candidate in Mexico's history (35.8%).

Calderón's Cabinet

Domestic Policies and Progress

During his presidency, Felipe Calderón introduced many new policies. He worked to improve daily life for Mexicans.

• Helping Families with Food: He introduced the Tortilla Price Stabilization Pact. This helped keep the price of tortillas, a basic food, stable for families.
• Creating Job Opportunities: He launched the First Employment Program. This program gave money to companies that hired people for their first jobs. It especially helped young graduates and women.
• Controlling Government Salaries: He signed a decree to limit the salaries of the president and cabinet ministers. This aimed to save government money.
• Boosting Education: His government created 96 new universities, the most in Mexico's history. He also made sure all children aged 6 to 11 had a secure spot in elementary schools.
• Improving Healthcare: More than 1,000 hospitals were built, and over 2,000 were updated. He worked to achieve universal healthcare through a program called Seguro Popular. By 2012, over 100 million Mexicans had access to public healthcare.
• Building Roads: His administration built over 16,500 kilometers of interstate highways. This helped connect different parts of the country.
• Protecting Nature: Sixteen new Protected Natural Areas were created. This helped protect Mexico's natural environment.

Health Policy and the Swine Flu

Calderón with Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, then First Lady of Argentina, six months before she became president.

Felipe Calderón in 2010.

One of Calderón's most popular policies was the move towards universal healthcare coverage. He launched Seguro Popular to make this happen. This policy expanded healthcare access and lowered costs for many people.

In 2009, Mexico faced the Swine Flu epidemic. President Calderón's government acted quickly. They shared information openly with the world and took strong steps to stop the flu from spreading. This included closing public services like schools. President Calderón even appeared on TV to explain the situation and show basic safety measures.

His administration also started the Mexican Genome Project. This project aims to understand the genetic makeup of Mexicans. This knowledge can help create better ways to prevent and treat diseases like diabetes. It can also help develop medicines tailored for specific genetic groups.

Environmental Efforts

Felipe Calderón's government worked to raise awareness about environmental issues. These included deforestation and climate change. They planted over 8 million trees and encouraged green-technology companies to come to Mexico. Mexico also made progress in reducing deforestation. His government invested $2.5 billion in wind farms, which produce clean energy.

Economic Growth and Investment

President Barack Obama meets President Felipe Calderón.

Mexico's economy grew during Calderón's term. The country's total economic output was the 11th largest in the world by 2011. His government worked to create good jobs and reduce poverty. They also aimed to protect the living standards of all people.

The administration worked to attract new businesses and investments. They wanted to reduce Mexico's reliance on oil and the US market. Mexico became one of the top car manufacturers in the world. The total foreign investment during his presidency was over US$70 billion. Mexico also saw growth in its aviation and electronics industries.

Trade and Global Connections

Calderón and Former South Korean President Lee Myung-bak in Mexico City; 2010.

To create new export opportunities, Mexico expanded its trade agreements. They sought to increase trade with the European Union, East Asia, and Latin America. New roads and bridges were built to help with trade. A new agreement called the Pacific Alliance was formed with other Latin American nations. This helped these countries trade more with Asian nations.

Tortilla Price Stabilization Pact

In 2006, the price of corn rose sharply. This caused the price of tortillas to increase. Since tortillas are a main food for many, this was a big concern. President Calderón's government worked with major tortilla companies. They agreed to a price limit of 8.50 pesos per kilogram for tortillas. This helped keep prices stable for consumers.

First Employment Program

President Calderón launched the First Employment Program to create new job opportunities. This program gave money to companies that hired people for their very first job. It aimed to help young people graduating from college and women entering the workforce. This program was also seen as a way to reduce immigration to the United States.

Public Servants Salary Cap

On his first day as president, Calderón signed a decree to limit the salaries of the president and cabinet ministers. This measure aimed to save the government about US$13 million. He also proposed laws to lower salaries for public servants in all government branches.

Foreign Policy and Global Leadership

A meeting of leaders of emerging economies in Berlin, coordinated by Felipe Calderón (center). From left to right: Manmohan Singh of India, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva of Brazil, Calderón, Hu Jintao of the People's Republic of China and Thabo Mbeki of South Africa.

Calderón continued Mexico's foreign policy of working with other countries. He supported the Mesoamerican Integration and Development Project. This project helps with funding and infrastructure in Central American countries. It also includes cooperation against organized crime.

Another important initiative was the Mérida Initiative. This was a security cooperation plan between the United States, Mexico, and Central American countries. Its goal was to fight international crime.

International Environmental Policy

Cumbre de la Alianza del Pacífico.

Calderón's government played a big role in international environmental efforts. Mexico hosted and led the Cancún climate accord. This meeting reached agreements on climate goals and helping developing nations with climate change effects. Mexico also gained the trust of the G-20 group of major economies. This led to Mexico leading the group in 2012, including a summit in Los Cabos.

Immigration Reform Efforts

Felipe Calderón made immigration reform a key priority. In 2008, he and the Mexican Congress passed a law that made undocumented immigration into Mexico no longer a crime. He also hoped that something could be done to help undocumented Mexican immigrants in the United States. He openly disagreed with building a wall between the two nations.

Public Opinion and Approval

Speaking during Latin America Broadens Its Horizons, a session at the 2007 Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum.

Throughout his presidency, Felipe Calderón's approval ratings varied. In early 2007, his approval rating was 58%. People generally approved of his actions on health and reducing crime. By June 2008, his approval rating reached 64%.

In March 2010, a poll showed 45% of people approved of his performance. By February 2012, a poll by El Universal showed a 58% approval rating. Many people felt things had improved in Mexico during his time in office. He ended his presidency with high approval ratings, with 64% of people approving of his administration.

Honors

Throughout his office, Calderón has been awarded several honors from foreign nations.

•  Belize:
  • Order of Belize
•  Brazil:
  • National Order of the Southern Cross (Grand Collar - Grande Colar) (7 August 2007)
•  Chile:
  • Order of Merit (Class I - Collar)
•  Denmark:
  • Knight of the Order of the Elephant (18 February 2008)
•  El Salvador:
  • Grand Cross of the National Order of Doctor José Matías Delgado (4 March 2008)
•  Guatemala:
  • Collar of the Order of the Quetzal (27 July 2011)
•  Spain:
  • Knight of the Collar of the Order of Isabella the Catholic (6 June 2008)
  • Collar of the Order of Civil Merit (15 November 2012)
•  United Kingdom:
  • Honorary Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath (30 March 2009)

Awards

• WEF Global Leadership Statesmanship Award, World Economic Forum, January 2012
• "People Who Mattered", Time, 2010.
• "The World's 50 Most Influential Figures 2010" by New Statesman, September 2010
• "Bravo Business Awards Leader of the Year", Latin Trade, October 2009.
• "Leader of the Year", Latin Business Chronicle, 17 December 2007.
• Honorary Chair of the Global Commission for the Economy and Climate

Images for kids

• 

  President Calderón and President of Brazil Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva with members of the Mexican Army in the background

• 

  Felipe Calderón And Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, President Of Brasil

See also

In Spanish: Felipe Calderón para niños