María Beatriz Zavala Peniche (born October 23, 1957, in

Mérida, Yucatán Mérida (, ) is the capital of the List of states of Mexico, Mexican state of Yucatán, and the largest city in southeastern Mexico. The city is also the seat of the Mérida Municipality, eponymous municipality. It is located slightly inland fro ...

) is a Mexican politician affiliated with the National Action Party PAN who has served in the

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and

upper house An upper house is one of two Legislative chamber, chambers of a bicameralism, bicameral legislature, the other chamber being the lower house. The house formally designated as the upper house is usually smaller and often has more restricted p ...

of the Mexican Congress. In 2006

Felipe Calderón Felipe de Jesús Calderón Hinojosa (; born 18 August 1962) is a Mexican politician and lawyer who served as the 63rd president of Mexico from 2006 to 2012 and Secretary of Energy during the presidency of Vicente Fox between 2003 and 2004. ...

designated her as Secretary of Social Development.

Personal life and education

Zavala holds a

bachelor's degree A bachelor's degree (from Medieval Latin ''baccalaureus'') or baccalaureate (from Modern Latin ''baccalaureatus'') is an undergraduate degree awarded by colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study lasting three to six years ...

anthropology Anthropology is the scientific study of humanity, concerned with human behavior, human biology, cultures, society, societies, and linguistics, in both the present and past, including archaic humans. Social anthropology studies patterns of behav ...

from the Autonomous University of Yucatán (UADY) and studies towards a

master degree A master's degree (from Latin ) is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities or colleges upon completion of a course of study demonstrating mastery or a high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practi ...

sociology Sociology is the scientific study of human society that focuses on society, human social behavior, patterns of Interpersonal ties, social relationships, social interaction, and aspects of culture associated with everyday life. The term sociol ...

from the

University of Kentucky The University of Kentucky (UK, UKY, or U of K) is a Public University, public Land-grant University, land-grant research university in Lexington, Kentucky, United States. Founded in 1865 by John Bryan Bowman as the Agricultural and Mechanical ...

. She has been a professor of the UADY.

Political career

Zavala is an active member of the PAN since 1995. From 1997 to 2000 she served in the

Chamber of Deputies of Mexico The Chamber of Deputies ( Spanish: , ) is the lower house of the Congress of the Union, the bicameral parliament of Mexico. The other chamber is the Senate. The structure and responsibilities of both chambers of Congress are defined in Article ...

during the LVII Legislature; from 2001 to 2003 she served as local deputy in the Congress of Yucatán; then from 2003 to 2006 she served again in the Chamber of Deputies this time during the LIX Legislature. In 2006 she won a seat in the

Senate of Mexico The Senate of the Republic (), constitutionally the Chamber of Senators of the Honorable Congress of the Union (), is the upper house of Mexico's bicameral Congress. It currently consists of 128 members, who serve six-year terms. History A b ...

representing Yucatán but left that position to join

's presidential cabinet as Secretary of Social Development. In January 2008 she left the cabinet and returned to the senate.

References

1957 births Living people Politicians from Mérida, Yucatán National Action Party (Mexico) politicians Members of the Chamber of Deputies (Mexico) Members of the Senate of the Republic (Mexico) Mexican people of Basque descent Women members of the Senate of the Republic (Mexico) Members of the Congress of Yucatán 21st-century Mexican politicians 21st-century Mexican women politicians Women members of the Chamber of Deputies (Mexico) Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán alumni Academic staff of Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán University of Kentucky alumni {{Mexico-senator-NationalAction-stub