Zona de Azar Mexico – Mexico: Olivia Salomón Vibaldo Appointed as New General Director of Lotenal

Mexico.- February 26, 2025 www.zonadeazar.com The appointment of Olivia Salomón Vibaldo as the new General Director of the National Lottery for Public Assistance (Lotenal), replacing the inconsequential Marco Antonio Mena Rodríguez—who barely lasted a year and a half in the position after serving as governor of Tlaxcala (2017-2021)—is, without a doubt, excellent news for the institutional framework of this country.

For those unfamiliar, Lotenal is a decentralized agency of the federal public administration responsible for holding cash prize lotteries, aimed at raising funds to financially support the head of the Executive Branch in initiatives that promote equality for Mexicans who cannot meet their most urgent needs on their own. This makes it a leading institution and an example at both national and international levels.

However, the impact and relevance of this institution have diminished in recent years due to the poor management of its most recent general directors. The last time Lotenal’s leadership was in good hands was during the tenure of María Esther Scherman, which happened more than a decade ago.

Salomón Vibaldo is a woman of great ability and talent—successful, empowered, and with a modern vision of what public administration should be.

From the outset, she perfectly embodies the presidential philosophy that “these are women’s times,” as she is a businesswoman with a political, human, and solidarity-driven profile. Her political career has always been marked by a strong commitment to economic development and social progress.

She operates with a high ethical standard and aligns with President Sheinbaum’s vision of shared prosperity. Both in the public and private sectors, she has distinguished herself as a leader in promotion and innovation, driving the inclusion of women and the professionalization of small entrepreneurs, producers, and artisans. She possesses the expertise and know-how to generate well-being.

What brought Olivia to the general leadership of Lotenal is undeniable: in 2019, she was appointed Secretary of Economy of Puebla by the late Governor Miguel Barbosa Huerta, making her part of the first gender-equal cabinet in the state’s history.

In this role, she implemented several key public policies, such as creating the Innovation, Entrepreneurship, and Business Center (CIEN) and the State Energy Agency. Additionally, she promoted the economic clustering of the state, contributing to Puebla’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth of 3.2% in 2023—an increase of 2.3% compared to the 0.9% recorded in 2019.

Olivia Salomón now has an excellent opportunity to bring back all the successful strategies she implemented in her home state and apply them to a national-level office that urgently requires immediate action to regain credibility and trust.

Edited by: @_fonta www.zonadeazar.com