Mexico City Becomes a State

MEXICO CITY – Mexico City, officially known until now as the Distrito Federal, became Mexico’s 32nd state on Friday with the enactment of a constitutional amendment giving the sprawling metropolis more independence from the national government.

“Mexico City remains the seat of the branches of the Union government and capital of the United Mexican States, but now will have autonomy regarding its internal regime and organization,” President Enrique Peña Nieto said during a ceremony to mark the change.

The new state will soon convene elections for a 100-member constituent assembly charged with drafting a constitution.

The assembly is to start work on Sept. 15 and the charter of the new state, Ciudad de Mexico, is expected to take effect in September 2018.

With the change in status, the capital’s mayor will become governor and the presidents of the city’s 16 boroughs will be transformed into mayors of separate municipalities.

The city’s existing municipal assembly is to be reborn as a state legislature.

The federal Senate loses its prerogative of removing the head of the capital government, while the Ciudad de Mexico governor will be able to appoint a state prosecutor and police chief without the approval of the Mexican president.