Omar Fayad Meneses (born 26 August 1962) is a Mexican politician from the state of

Hidalgo Hidalgo may refer to: People * Hidalgo (nobility), members of the Spanish nobility * Hidalgo (surname) Places Mexico :''Most, if not all, named for Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla (1753–1811)'' * Hidalgo (state), in central Mexico * Hidalgo, Coah ...

who has served as a federal deputy and senator. He served as the

Governor of Hidalgo The governor of Hidalgo is the head of the executive branch of government of the Mexican state of Hidalgo. From the establishment of the office, 78 individuals have served as Hidalgo's governor including those who served on a provisional or int ...

from 2016 to 2022. He is a member of the

Institutional Revolutionary Party The Institutional Revolutionary Party (, , PRI) is a List of political parties in Mexico, political party in Mexico that was founded in 1929 as the National Revolutionary Party (, PNR), then as the Party of the Mexican Revolution (, PRM) and fin ...

Political career

Fayad was born on 26 August 1962 in Zempoala, Hidalgo, to a Lebanese father and a Mexican mother. He obtained his law degree from the

National Autonomous University of Mexico The National Autonomous University of Mexico (, UNAM) is a public university, public research university in Mexico. It has several campuses in Mexico City, and many others in various locations across Mexico, as well as a presence in nine countri ...

(UNAM) in 1985. After his graduation, he worked in

Attorney General of Mexico The attorney general of the Republic is the head of the Attorney General's Office (; prior to 2019, ) and the Federal Public Prosecutor's Office of the United Mexican States, an institution belonging to the Federal Government's constitutional ...

's office for several years. In 1989, he moved to the National Institute of Penal Sciences (INACIPE) and later served at various education posts in the state of Hidalgo. He served as Hidalgo's secretary of public education and attorney general during 1996–98. He then served in several public safety and security capacities, including as a police commissioner or customs administrator. He also made regular appearances on radio programs as a political analyst. In 2000, Fayad was elected to the LVIII Legislature as a federal deputy for Hidalgo's seventh district, serving as secretary of Special Commission on Public Safety and sitting on the Communications, Government and Public Safety Committees. He resigned in April 2003. After his brief spell in

Congress A congress is a formal meeting of the representatives of different countries, constituent states, organizations, trade unions, political parties, or other groups. The term originated in Late Middle English to denote an encounter (meeting of ...

, Fayad returned to the Hidalgo state government, serving as Secretary of Agriculture (2003–05) and Secretary of Social Development (2005–06). In 2006, he ran for and won the municipal presidency of

Pachuca Pachuca (; ), formally known as Pachuca de Soto, is the capital and largest city of the east-central Mexico, Mexican States of Mexico, state of Hidalgo (state), Hidalgo, located in the south-central part of the state. Pachuca Municipality, Pach ...

. During his mayoral spell, he presided over Mexico's association of mayors. In 2009, Fayad returned to Congress, representing Hidalgo's first district; during that term, he served as parliamentary secretary of the Commission of Strengthening Federalism. Three years later, he ran and won a campaign for

Senate A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the el ...

, where he would serve in the LXII and LXIII Legislatures. He served on an array of commissions, including Public Safety, which he presided. In 2010, Fayad was selected as the leader of the

in Hidalgo. Fayad was strongly criticized in October 2015 when he attempted to introduce a new law against

cybercrime Cybercrime encompasses a wide range of criminal activities that are carried out using digital devices and/or Computer network, networks. It has been variously defined as "a crime committed on a computer network, especially the Internet"; Cyberc ...

that also criminalized the freedom of expression. One organization billed it "the worst Internet-related bill in history". On 2 February 2016, Fayad left the Senate in order to seek the PRI nomination for

. He won the gubernatorial election later that year and was sworn-in as governor on 5 September 2016.

Personal life

He married actress

Victoria Ruffo María Victoria Eugenia Guadalupe Martínez del Río Moreno-Ruffo (born May 31, 1962) better known as Victoria Ruffo is a Mexican actress notable for her roles in telenovelas. Biography 1980s Ruffo began her acting career in 1980, starrin ...

in 2000. The couple have two children. During Fayad's term as municipal president of Pachuca, he designated Ruffo as the local director of the National System of Integrity and Familial Development. In February 2016, Fayad was hospitalized after suffering an

anaphylactic shock Anaphylaxis (Greek: 'up' + 'guarding') is a serious, potentially fatal allergic reaction and medical emergency that is rapid in onset and requires immediate medical attention regardless of the use of emergency medication on site. It typically ...

triggered by Rocephin. In March 2020 he was confirmed to be infected with

COVID-19 Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. In January 2020, the disease spread worldwide, resulting in the COVID-19 pandemic. The symptoms of COVID‑19 can vary but often include fever ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Fayad, Omar Living people 1962 births Governors of Hidalgo (state) Members of the Senate of the Republic (Mexico) Members of the Chamber of Deputies (Mexico) Institutional Revolutionary Party politicians Politicians from Pachuca, Hidalgo 21st-century Mexican politicians Mexican people of Lebanese descent National Autonomous University of Mexico alumni Academic staff of the National Autonomous University of Mexico Mexican prosecutors Municipal presidents in Hidalgo (state)

Political career

Personal life

See also

References