Fernando Solana dies at 85

Fernando Solana, former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Mexico, died today at 85, his daughter Eugenia Solana announced on Twitter.

Born in Mexico City on Feburary 8, 1931, Solana graduated from the National Autonomous University of Mexico where he later was a professor in Economics, Philosophy, and Political Sciences. He also served as Secretary General of the University.

He began his public service career after he was appointed Trade Minister by president José López Portillo in 1976. Less than one year later he was appointed Minister of Education, a position that he retained to the end of the López Portillo administration in 1982.

That same year president Miguel de la Madrid named him General Director of Banamex, the largest private bank in Mexico that had just been nationalized by the previous government, and he remained in this charge until 1988 when Carlos Salinas de Gortari named him Minister of Foreign Affairs.

From 1994 to 2000 he was senator representing Mexico City and chair the senatorial commission on International Affairs. He also chaired the board of the Mexican Council on Foreign Affairs, a non governmental organization, with some 500 independent members that include businessmen, diplomats, professors and people link with the international activities of Mexico.