Enrique Peña Nieto was born on July 20, 1966, in Mexico. He grew up in a political family where public service was a common theme. His father, Gilberto Peña del Mazo, was an engineer and his mother, María del Pilar Nieto, was a schoolteacher. From a young age, Peña Nieto was exposed to the inner workings of government and the importance of serving the people.
He attended the Panamerican University in Mexico City, where he studied law. After graduating, he went on to earn a master's degree in business administration from Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education.
Peña Nieto's political career began in the early 1990s when he joined the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI). He quickly rose through the ranks, serving in various local and state government positions. In 2005, he was elected governor of the State of Mexico, one of the country's most populous and influential states.
As governor, Peña Nieto focused on improving the state's economy and infrastructure, earning praise for his efforts to attract foreign investment and create jobs. His success in the State of Mexico catapulted him onto the national stage, leading to his election as Mexico's 57th president in 2012.
Upon taking office, Peña Nieto made it clear that his top priorities were to reinvigorate Mexico's economy and crack down on the drug wars that had plagued the country for years. He implemented a series of economic reforms aimed at boosting growth and attracting investment, leading to an increase in foreign direct investment during his tenure.
One of the biggest challenges Peña Nieto faced during his presidency was the ongoing drug war, which had claimed the lives of an estimated 50,000 people. Unlike his predecessors, who had taken a hardline approach against the drug cartels, Peña Nieto sought to reduce violence through a combination of law enforcement and social programs.
Peña Nieto has been married twice. His first marriage was to Mónica Pretelini Sáenz, with whom he had three children. After her untimely death in 2007, Peña Nieto married actress Angélica Rivera, with whom he has one child. In 2019, he began a relationship with model Tania Ruiz Eichelmann.
Despite his busy schedule as president, Peña Nieto has always made time for his family, often seen attending events with his children and wife. He is known for his love of sports, particularly soccer, and is a passionate supporter of the Mexican national team.