Omar Hamid García Harfuch (born 25 February 1982) is a Mexican politician, public official, and former police officer. A member of the

National Regeneration Movement The National Regeneration Movement (), commonly referred to by its syllabic abbreviation Morena (), is a major left-wing political party in Mexico, often described as oscillating between social democracy and populism. As of 2023, it is the la ...

(Morena), he has served as Secretary of Security and Civilian Protection in the cabinet of President

Claudia Sheinbaum Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo (born 24 June 1962) is a Mexican politician, energy and climate change scientist, and academic who has served as the 66th president of Mexico since 2024. She is the List of elected and appointed female heads of state and ...

since 2024. He served as Secretary of Citizen Security of Mexico City under then-mayor Claudia Sheinbaum from 2019 to 2023. García Harfuch was a candidate for

Mayor of Mexico City The head of government () wields executive power in Mexico City. The head of government serves a six-year term, running concurrently with that of the president of the Republic. Mexico City, or CDMX, is the seat of national government, and is l ...

in the 2024 election. Despite winning his party's nomination for the position, he was replaced by

Clara Brugada Clara Marina Brugada Molina (born August 12, 1963) is a Mexican politician and economist serving as the head of government of Mexico City after winning the 2024 election. A member of the National Regeneration Movement (Morena), she formerly ...

as Morena's candidate owing to gender-parity rules.

Early life and education

García Harfuch was born in

Cuernavaca Cuernavaca (; , "near the woods" , Otomi language, Otomi: ) is the capital and largest city of the Mexican state, state of Morelos in Mexico. Along with Chalcatzingo, it is likely one of the origins of the Mesoamerica, Mesoamerican civilizatio ...

, Morelos. He completed a BA in law and public security at the Universidad del Valle de México. His mother is María Harfuch Hidalgo, an actress and singer. His Father was Javier García Paniagua, who served as president of the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) and Labour Secretary in 1981. His father was accused of participating in repression and torture during the Dirty War. Considered a man with a very dark history, he was head of the feared Federal Security Directorate (DFS) from 1976 to 1978. Grandson of General Marcelino Garcia Barragan, Secretary of National Defense in 1968, who executed the order for the massacre of students in 1968.

Policing career

His career in public service began in 2008 when he joined the

Federal Police A law enforcement agency (LEA) is any government agency responsible for law enforcement within a specific jurisdiction through the employment and deployment of law enforcement officers and their resources. The most common type of law enforcement ...

. In 2012 he was promoted to state coordinator of the Federal Police in

Guerrero Guerrero, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Guerrero, is one of the 32 states that compose the administrative divisions of Mexico, 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided into Municipalities of Guerrero, 85 municipalities. The stat ...

and, in 2015, to the Criminal Investigation Agency of the Attorney-General's office (FGR). On 4 October 2019, he was appointed

Chief of Police A chief of police (COP) is the title given to an appointed official or an elected one in the command hierarchy, chain of command of a police department, particularly in North America. A chief of police may also be known as a police chief or somet ...

in the

Mexico City Mexico City is the capital city, capital and List of cities in Mexico, largest city of Mexico, as well as the List of North American cities by population, most populous city in North America. It is one of the most important cultural and finan ...

government's Secretariat of Citizen Security by Mayor

Attempted assassination

In that capacity he was wounded in his vehicle during an attempted assassination on 26 June 2020 while travelling down the

Paseo de la Reforma Paseo de la Reforma (literally "Promenade of La Reforma, the Reform") is a wide avenue that runs diagonally across the heart of Mexico City. It was designed at the behest of Maximilian of Mexico, Emperor Maximilian by Ferdinand von Rosenzweig d ...

; two members of his security detail and a passer-by were killed.

Political career

In September 2023, he announced his plans to seek his party's nomination for the position of

Head of Government of Mexico City The head of government () wields executive power in Mexico City. The head of government serves a six-year term, running concurrently with that of the president of the Republic. Mexico City, or CDMX, is the seat of national government, and is l ...

. His primary opponent for the nomination was

, mayor of the

borough A borough is an administrative division in various English language, English-speaking countries. In principle, the term ''borough'' designates a self-governing walled town, although in practice, official use of the term varies widely. History ...

Iztapalapa Iztapalapa () is a borough (''demarcación territorial'') in Mexico City, located on the eastern side of the city. The borough is named after and centered on the formerly independent municipality of Iztapalapa (officially Iztapalapa de Cuitláhua ...

. Polling conducted in October 2023 found him to be the most popular candidate among voters, taking 33% to Brugada's 21%. Despite winning the internal selection process, his candidacy was put aside in favor of

because of gender-parity rules. García Harfuch sought election to be one of Mexico City's two senators in the 2024 Senate election, occupying the first place on the '' Sigamos Haciendo Historia'' coalition's two-name formula alongside Ernestina Godoy. The coalition won the election with 54.3% of the vote, assuring Senate seats for the formula's two members. On 5 July 2024, however, president-elect

announced that García Harfuch was to serve in her cabinet as Secretary of Security and Civilian Protection as of 1 October. His Senate seat will be assumed by his substitute, .

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Harfuch, Omar Garcia Living people 1982 births 21st-century Mexican politicians Politicians from Morelos People from Cuernavaca Universidad del Valle de México alumni Mexican police officers