New Mexican Consul arrives in Leamington

LEAMINGTON — Leamington has a new Mexican Consul in the person of Vanessa Calva Ruiz.

Having arrived on July 29, Consul Calva was appointed by Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard in June 2021.

This is her first post as head of a consular representation, acknowledging her 15 years of experience in consular affairs and as part of Mexico’s commitment to implement a feminist foreign policy. Prior to her appointment to Leamington, she was posted at the office of the Mexican Deputy Foreign Secretary.

Between 2004 and 2006, Calva served at the Consulate General in Denver, Colorado, in charge of consular protection, and from 2006 to 2012 she was responsible for Community Affairs at the Consulate General in Los Angeles – the largest representation Mexico has abroad – serving more than 3.8 million of its nationals in L.A. County.

She continued her career at the Embassy in Washington, D.C., where she served as a Political Affairs Officer, as Deputy Press Attaché and as Liaison to the United States Senate.

VANESSA CALVA RUIZ

At the Mexican Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Consul Calva was the Deputy Director General of Consular Protection Policies from 2016 to 2018.

She was responsible for overseeing the development and implementation of preventive consular protection policies for her country’s consular-diplomatic network, crafting strategies to inform nationals of their rights, as well as the assistance and programs provided by representations abroad.

In 2018, Consul Calva was appointed Executive Director of the Institute of Mexicans Abroad, responsible for promoting strategies, programs and cooperation action to foster the empowerment and integration of Mexican nationals abroad, and strengthening their ties to their home country.

She has a Master of Arts in International Studies from the Fletcher School of Law & Diplomacy and a Master of Arts in Diplomatic Studies from the Matias Romero Institute (Mexican Diplomatic Academy).

Consul Calva has published several articles about LGBTQ+ rights and foreign policy focusing on Mexico’s consular and diplomatic experience and has led efforts on this topic within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.