Enrique Peña Nieto Elected President of Mexico

Peña Nieto's victory sets the course for a new direction for the future of Mexico. The president-elect built his campaign on an aggressive and highly detailed set of 255 national and regional "commitments" on which he has pledged to deliver. It is this style of public accountability and transparency that has positioned him as a staunch departure from the past reputation of his party, the Institutional Revolutionary Party (commonly known as the PRI).

Peña Nieto's victory sets the course for a new direction for the future of Mexico. The president-elect built his campaign on an aggressive and highly detailed set of 255 national and regional "commitments" on which he has pledged to deliver. It is this style of public accountability and transparency that has positioned him as a staunch departure from the past reputation of his party, the Institutional Revolutionary Party (commonly known as the PRI).

In his victory speech, President-elect Peña Nieto stressed the importance of ending the political polarization in Mexico that has prevented the adoption of critical reforms; continuing the fight against drug trafficking and violence; and promoting economic growth policies that help alleviate poverty in the country. Below are translated excerpts from his victory speech, delivered early Monday morning:

Peña Nieto has been particularly outspoken about his priorities for economic growth, job creation and poverty alleviation across Mexico. He has promised to return much needed attention to social issues gone largely unaddressed in recent years, including a commitment to dramatically increasing high school completion rates and generating more than a million jobs a year through greater economic competition and investments in infrastructure.

In addition, he has pledged to continue the fight against organized crime and drug trafficking that have riddled Mexico in recent years. To ensure his success, Peña Nieto has tapped recently retired Colombian Police Chief, General Oscar Naranjo, to serve as an advisor on an assertive array of crime-fighting measures. General Naranjo, decorated as one of the "world's leading crime fighters" by law enforcement agencies around the globe, will be a valuable resource in advising how to strengthen our enforcement and improve cooperation with other countries.

Moreover, Peña Nieto has vowed to regain Mexico's foreign policy leadership in Latin American and to continue to foster strong ties with its North American neighbors, the United States and Canada. This includes growing NAFTA beyond a trade zone and integrating economies through greater investments in manufacturing and finance. He has also affirmed his intention to pursue more economic opportunities and integration with Asia and the European Union so as to diversity Mexico's economy.

Peña Nieto's election by such a significant margin represents a generational shift and clear departure from the old notions of the PRI. He has surrounded himself with a cadre of young technocrats who have brought a wealth of innovative ideas, a forward-looking vision, and a new direction. Even prominent political leaders like former President Vicente Fox – a member of an opposing party – have advocated that the country support Peña Nieto.