Governor of Nuevo León

Governor of Nuevo León
Gobernador de Nuevo León
since 2 December 2023
SeatMonterrey, Nuevo León
AppointerPopular vote
Term lengthSix years, non-renewable
Inaugural holderJosé María Parás y Ballesteros
Formation1824
Websitenl.gob.mx/es/gobernador

The Mexican state of Nuevo León has been governed by more than a hundred individuals in its history, who have had various titles and degrees of responsibility depending on the prevailing political regime of the time.

Under the current regime, executive power rests in a governor, who is directly elected by the citizens, using a secret ballot, to a six-year term with no possibility of reelection. The position is open only to a Mexican citizen by birth, at least 30 years old with at least five years of residency in Nuevo León.

The governor's term begins on October 4 and finishes six years later on October 3. Elections occur 3 years before/after presidential elections.

Gubernatorial elections and term of office

Qualifications

Article 118 of the Constitution of Nuevo León sets qualifications for candidates for governor of Nuevo León:

  • Must be a Mexican citizen by birth, in full exercise of rights.
  • Must be native to Nuevo León or have at least five years of prior residence.
  • Must be at least 30 years old on election day.
  • Cannot belong to the clergy or be a minister of any religion.
  • Military members must have left active service at least six months before the election.
  • Certain public officials (secretaries, legislators, magistrates, councilors, prosecutors, mayors) are ineligible unless they resign or take a leave of absence at least 100 days before the election.

Election

Governors of Nuevo León are elected by plurality vote to a single six-year term, with no possibility of reelection. The governor takes office on 4 October of the election year, with elections held three years before or after the corresponding presidential election.

Recall

Article 60 of the Constitution of Nuevo León establishes the mechanism for a recall election of the governor, which is organized by the State Electoral Institute upon citizen request. A recall may be initiated once during the three months following the governor's third year in office, provided it is supported by at least ten percent of registered voters across a majority of municipalities. For the result to be binding, turnout must reach at least forty percent of the electorate, with removal requiring an absolute majority of votes cast.[2] In the event of removal, the President of the Congress of Nuevo León serves provisionally as governor until the legislature appoints a successor.

List of governors

Nuevo Reino de León

  • Martín de Zavala, 1625–1664
  • León de Alza, 1665–1667
  • Nicolás de Azcárraga, 1667–1676
  • Domingo de Prudena, 1676–1681
  • Blas de la Garza y Falcón, 1681
  • Domingo de Videgaray y Zarza, 1681
  • Francisco de la Calancha y Valenzuela, 1681
  • Blas de la Garza Falcón, 1681
  • Juan de Echeverría, 1681–1682
  • Diego de Villarreal, 1682–1683
  • Alonso de León, 1683–1684
  • Antonio de Echevérez y Subiza, 1684–1687
  • Francisco Cuervo y Valdés, 1687–1688
  • Pedro Fernández de la Ventosa, 1688–1693
  • Juan Pérez de Merino, 1693–1698
  • Juan Francisco de Vergara y Mendoza 1698–1703
  • Francisco Báez Treviño, 1703–1705
  • Gregorio de Salinas Varona, 1705–1707
  • Cipriano García de Pruneda, 1707–1708
  • Luis García de Pruneda 1708–1710
  • Francisco Mier y Torre, 1710–1714
  • Francisco Báez Treviño 1714–1718
  • Juan Ignacio Flores Mogollón 1718
  • Francisco de Barbadillo y Vitoria, 1719–1723
  • Juan José de Arriaga y Brambila, 1723–1725
  • Pedro de Sarabia Cortés, 1725–1729
  • Bernardino de Meneses Monroy y Mendoza, 1730–1731
  • Juan Antonio Fernández de Jáuregui y Urrutia, 1731–1740
  • Pedro del Barrio Junco y Espriella, 1740–1746
  • Vicente Bueno de Borbolla, 1746–1751
  • Pedro del Barrio Junco y Espriella, 1752–1757
  • Juan Manuel Muñoz de Villavicencio, 1757–1762
  • Carlos de Velasco, 1762–1764
  • Ignacio Ussel y Guimbarda, 1764–1772
  • Francisco de Echegaray, 1772–1773
  • Melchor Vidal de Lorca y Villena, 1773
  • Vicente González de Santianes, 1773–1788
  • Manuel Bahamonde y Villamil, 1788–1795
  • Simón de Herrera y Leyva, 1795–1810
  • Manuel de Santa María, 1810–1811
  • José Santiago Villarreal, 1811
  • Blas José Gómez de Castro, 1811–1813
  • Ramón Díaz Bustamante, 1813
  • José Antonio Mujica, 1814
  • Froilán de Mier y Noguera, 1815
  • Francisco Bruno Barreda, 1816 and 1818–1821
  • Bernardo Villamil, 1817–1818

Independent Mexico

  • Juan de Echandía 1822[a]
  • Francisco de Mier y Noriega, 1823
  • José Antonio Rodríguez, 1824
  • José María Parás, 1825–1827
  • Manuel Gómez Castro, 1827–1829
  • Joaquín García, 1829–1833
  • Manuel Gómez Castro, 1833
  • Manuel María de Llano, 1833–1834
  • Juan Nepomuceno de la Garza y Evía, 1835–1837[b]
  • Joaquín García, 1837–1839
  • Manuel María de Llano, 1839–1845[c]
  • José María Ortega, 1841
  • Juan Nepomuceno de la Garza y Evía, 1845–1846
  • Pedro de Ampudia, 1846[d]
  • José María Parás, 1848–1850
  • Pedro de Ampudia, 1853–1854
  • Pedro José García, 1850–1851
  • Agapito García Dávila, 1851–1853
  • Mariano Morret, 1854
  • Jerónimo Cardona, 1854–1855
  • Santiago Vidaurri, 1855–1859[e]
  • José Silvestre Aramberri, 1859
  • Santiago Vidaurri, 1860–1864[f]

French intervention

Restored Republic

Porfiriato

  • Genaro Garza García, 1877–1879
  • Viviano L. Villareal, 1879–1881
  • Genaro Garza García, 1881–1883
  • Canuto García, 1883–1885
  • Genaro Garza García, 1885
  • Bernardo Reyes; 1885–1887, 1889–1900, and 1903–1909
  • Lázaro Garza Ayala, 1887–1889
  • Pedro Benítez Leal, 1900–1902
  • José María Mier, 1909–1910

Mexican Revolution

  • Leobardo Chapa, 1910–1911
  • Viviano L. Villarreal, 1911–1913
  • Salomé Botello, 1913–1914
  • Antonio de la Paz Guerra, 1914
  • Antonio L. Villarreal, 1914–1915
  • Rafael Cepeda de la Fuente, 1915
  • Felipe Ángeles, 1915
  • Raúl Madero, 1915
  • Ildefonso V. Vázquez, 1915
  • Pablo A. de la Garza, 1915 and 1916
  • Diódoro de la Garza, 1916
  • Alfredo Recaut, 1917
Governor Term in office Election Party
Nicéforo Zambrano
(1861–1940)
1 July 1917

3 October 1919
1917
José E. Santos
(1889–1953)
4 October 1919

13 May 1920
(removed)[g]
1919
Porfirio G. González[3]
(1885–1928)
Interim
13 May 1920

5 February 1921
Imposed by the Plan of Agua Prieta
Juan M. García
(1885–1957)
5 February 1921

4 April 1922
(removed from office)
1921
Ramiro Tamez
(1889–1976)
Substitute
4 April 1922

3 October 1923
Designated by the Congress of Nuevo León
Alfredo Pérez Garza[4]
(1874–1954)
4 October 1923
(deposed)[h]
1923
Self-proclaimed, disputed[i]
Anastasio Treviño Martínez[7]
(1870–1943)
Provisional
4 October 1923

25 December 1923
Designated by the Superior Court of Justice of Nuevo León
Porfirio G. González[3]
(1885–1928)
25 December 1923

16 October 1925
(removed from office)
Designated by the Congress of Nuevo León[j]
Jerónimo Siller
(1880–1962)
Interim
16 October 1925

3 October 1927
Designated by the Congress of Nuevo León

Modern Nuevo León (1927–present)

Governor Term in office Election Party
Aarón Sáenz Garza
(1891–1983)
4 October 1927

27 March 1928
(leave of absence)[k]
1927
José Benítez Martínez[9]
(1891–1954)
Interim
27 March 1928

14 August 1928
Designated by the Congress of Nuevo León
Aarón Sáenz Garza
(1891–1983)
14 August 1928

6 November 1928
(leave of absence)[l]
José Benítez Martínez[9]
(1891–1954)
Interim
6 November 1928

25 March 1929
Designated by the Congress of Nuevo León
Aarón Sáenz Garza
(1891–1983)
25 March 1929

26 April 1929
(leave of absence)
National Revolutionary Party
Plutarco Elías Calles Chacón
(1901–1976)
Interim
26 April 1929

2 June 1929
Designated by the Congress of Nuevo León National Revolutionary Party
Generoso Chapa Garza[9]
(1901–1969)
Interim
2 June 1929

12 June 1929
Designated by the Congress of Nuevo León National Revolutionary Party
Aarón Sáenz Garza
(1891–1983)
12 June 1929

3 February 1930
(leave of absence)[m]
National Revolutionary Party
José Benítez Martínez[9]
(1891–1954)
Interim
3 February 1930

12 September 1931
Designated by the Congress of Nuevo León National Revolutionary Party
Aarón Sáenz Garza
(1891–1983)
12 September 1931

3 October 1931
National Revolutionary Party
Francisco A. Cárdenas
(1879–1943)
4 October 1931

27 December 1933
(resigned)[n]
1931 National Revolutionary Party
Pablo Quiroga Treviño[9]
(1903–1987)
Substitute
27 December 1933

3 October 1935
Designated by the Congress of Nuevo León National Revolutionary Party
Gregorio Morales Sánchez
(1885–1962)
Provisional
4 October 1935

1 May 1936
Designated by the Superior Court of Justice of Nuevo León National Revolutionary Party
Anacleto Guerrero Guajardo
(1892–1980)
1 May 1936

3 October 1939
1936 National Revolutionary Party
Bonifacio Salinas Leal
(1900–1982)
4 October 1939

3 October 1943
1939 Party of the Mexican Revolution
Arturo B. de la Garza[9]
(1905–1952)
4 October 1943

3 October 1949
1943 Party of the Mexican Revolution
Ignacio Morones Prieto
(1899–1974)
4 October 1949

1 December 1952
(resigned)[o]
1949 Institutional Revolutionary Party
José S. Vivanco
(1899–1979)
Substitute
5 December 1952

3 October 1955
Designated by the Congress of Nuevo León Institutional Revolutionary Party
Raúl Rangel Frías[9]
(1913–1993)
4 October 1955

3 October 1961
1955 Institutional Revolutionary Party
Eduardo Livas Villarreal[9]
(1911–1991)
4 October 1961

3 October 1967
1961 Institutional Revolutionary Party
Eduardo Ángel Elizondo Lozano[9]
(1922–2005)
4 October 1967

5 June 1971
(resigned)[p]
1967 Institutional Revolutionary Party
Luis M. Farías[9][11]
(1920–1999)
Substitute
5 June 1971

31 July 1973
Designated by the Congress of Nuevo León Institutional Revolutionary Party
Pedro Zorrilla Martínez[9]
(1933–1999)
1 August 1973

31 July 1979
1973 Institutional Revolutionary Party
Alfonso Martínez Domínguez
(1920–2002)
1 August 1979

31 July 1985
1979 Institutional Revolutionary Party
Jorge Alonso Treviño[9]
(b. 1935)
1 August 1985

31 July 1991
1985 Institutional Revolutionary Party
Sócrates Rizzo García
(b. 1945)
1 August 1991

17 April 1996
(resigned)
1991 Institutional Revolutionary Party
Benjamín Clariond
(b. 1948)
Substitute
18 April 1996

3 October 1997
Designated by the Congress of Nuevo León Institutional Revolutionary Party
Fernando Canales Clariond[9]
(b. 1946)
4 October 1997

13 January 2003
(resigned)[q]
1997 National Action Party
Fernando Elizondo Barragán[9]
(b. 1949)
Substitute
13 January 2003

3 October 2003
Designated by the Congress of Nuevo León National Action Party
José Natividad González Parás[9]
(b. 1949)
4 October 2003

3 October 2009
2003 Institutional Revolutionary Party
Rodrigo Medina de la Cruz[9]
(b. 1972)
4 October 2009

3 October 2015
2009 Institutional Revolutionary Party
Jaime Rodríguez Calderón
(b. 1957)
4 October 2015

31 December 2017
(leave of absence)
2015 Independent
Manuel Florentino González Flores
(b. 1957)
Interim
1 January 2018

2 July 2018
Designated by the Congress of Nuevo León Independent
Jaime Rodríguez Calderón
(b. 1957)
2 July 2018

3 October 2021
Independent
Samuel García
(b. 1987)
4 October 2021

1 December 2023
(leave of absence)
2021 Citizens' Movement
Luis Enrique Orozco[12]
(b. 1978)
Interim
2 December 2023

4 December 2023
Designated by the Congress of Nuevo León Independent
Samuel García[13]
(b. 1987)
4 December 2023

Incumbent
Citizens' Movement

Notes

  1. ^ State of Nuevo León established
  2. ^ The state was demoted to a Department in 1835.
  3. ^ The unrecognized Republic of the Rio Grande, including part of Nuevo León, was briefly established in 1840.
  4. ^ The North American Intervention and occupation was 1846-1848.
  5. ^ Statehood was restored with the Plan de Monterrey. Coahuila was annexed and the Republic of the Sierra Madre was declared in 1856.
  6. ^ The separatists were defeated and Nuevo León was reincorporated as a Mexican state in 1864.
  7. ^ Removed after the triumph of the Plan of Agua Prieta, which unrecognized the government of Nuevo León along with other state governments.
  8. ^ Deposed by federal forces who recognized Anastasio Treviño Martínez as provisional governor instead.[5]
  9. ^ Claimed governorship following the annulled 1923 election. The Monterrey city council voted 8–7 to recognize the elected 40th Legislature of the Congress of Nuevo León, which had declared Pérez the elected governor and initially controlled the Government Palace.[6]
  10. ^ Under pressure from González, provisional governor Treviño Martínez recognized González's self-proclaimed 40th Legislature, which convened on 25 December 1923, and immediately designated González as constitutional governor for the remainder of the term ending 4 October 1927.[8]
  11. ^ Took a leave of absence to participate in Álvaro Obregón’s re-election campaign.
  12. ^ Took a leave of absence in order to seek the presidential nomination of the National Revolutionary Party for the 1929 Mexican presidential election.
  13. ^ Took a leave of absence to accept an appointment as Secretary of Public Education in the cabinet of President Pascual Ortiz Rubio.
  14. ^ Resigned due to poor health.[10]
  15. ^ Resigned to accept an appointment as Secretary of Health and Assistance in the cabinet of President Adolfo Ruiz Cortines.
  16. ^ Resigned following strikes and conflicts triggered by a new Organic Law for the University of Nuevo León, which was opposed by students and faculty.
  17. ^ Resigned to accept an appointment as Secretary of Economy in the cabinet of President Vicente Fox.

References

  1. ^ "Samuel García abandona candidatura presidencial; regresa como gobernador de Nuevo León". 2 December 2023.
  2. ^ Maldonado, Orlando (2021-12-17). "Congreso de Nuevo-León aprueba revocación de mandato a partir del 2025". Grupo Milenio (in Spanish). Retrieved 2025-08-23.
  3. ^ a b Los Gobernantes de Nuevo León: Historia (1579-1989) [The Rulers of Nuevo León: History (1579-1989)] (in Spanish). Mexico D.F. J.R. FORTSON y CÍA., S.A. de C.V. Editores. 1990. pp. 173, 192. ISBN 9789686121025.
  4. ^ Los Gobernantes de Nuevo León: Historia (1579-1989) [The Rulers of Nuevo León: History (1579-1989)] (in Spanish). Mexico D.F. J.R. FORTSON y CÍA., S.A. de C.V. Editores. 1990. p. 173. ISBN 9789686121025.
  5. ^ Rodríguez Castillo, Óscar Abraham (2017). "Nuevo León 1923. Radiografía de una elección". Nuevo León 1923 Radiografía de una elección [Nuevo León 1923: Anatomy of an Election] (PDF) (in Spanish). Comisión Estatal Electoral Nuevo León. pp. 1964–1965.
  6. ^ Rodríguez Castillo, Óscar Abraham (2017). "Nuevo León 1923. Radiografía de una elección". Nuevo León 1923 Radiografía de una elección [Nuevo León 1923: Anatomy of an Election] (PDF) (in Spanish). Comisión Estatal Electoral Nuevo León. p. 1964.
  7. ^ Los Gobernantes de Nuevo León: Historia (1579-1989) [The Rulers of Nuevo León: History (1579-1989)] (in Spanish). Mexico D.F. J.R. FORTSON y CÍA., S.A. de C.V. Editores. 1990. pp. 173, 191. ISBN 9789686121025.
  8. ^ Rodríguez Castillo, Óscar Abraham (2017). "Nuevo León 1923. Radiografía de una elección". Nuevo León 1923 Radiografía de una elección [Nuevo León 1923: Anatomy of an Election] (PDF) (in Spanish). Comisión Estatal Electoral Nuevo León. pp. 1970–1971.
  9. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p Gutiérrez Villarreal, Francisco Javier (2014). Nuevo León y sus juristas en la encrucijada de la historia [Nuevo León and its Jurists at the Crossroads of History] (in Spanish). Fondo Editorial de Nuevo León. ISBN 978-607-8266-34-0.
  10. ^ Acosta Badillo, Susana (2013). Francisco A. Cárdenas. Gobernador de Nuevo León 1931-1933 [Francisco A. Cárdenas, Governor of Nuevo León 1931–1933] (in Spanish) (1st ed.). Monterrey, Nuevo León: Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León. p. 60. ISBN 978-607-27-0096-3.
  11. ^ Benavides, Héctor (2021-09-06). "Luis M. Farías: entre Echeverría, la IP y el deseo personal". Grupo Milenio (in Spanish). Retrieved 2025-08-20.
  12. ^ "Samuel García confirma que no participará en elecciones de 2024; Congreso de NL asegura que su licencia sigue vigente". Animal Politico. 2023-12-02. Retrieved 2025-08-20.
  13. ^ Jiménez, Elia Castillo (2023-12-04). "El Congreso de Nuevo León confirma el regreso de Samuel García como gobernador". El País México (in Mexican Spanish). Retrieved 2025-08-20.

Sources

  • Constitution of Nuevo León
  • Media related to Governors of Nuevo León at Wikimedia Commons