Luisa María Alcalde

Alcalde was born on 24 August 1987 in Mexico City. Her mother, Bertha Elena Luján Uranga, served as Comptroller General in the government of Andrés Manuel López Obrador during his time as Head of Government of the Federal District (Mayor of Mexico City). Her father, Arturo Alcalde Justiniani, is a labor lawyer.

She attended the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), graduating with a law degree in 2011. She received a master's degree in law at the University of California, Berkeley.

Alcalde was previously in a relationship with journalist Eduardo Becerril. She is unmarried. Alcalde and her sister live in an apartment in Colonia Roma Sur in Mexico City.

Family

Alcalde's sister, Bertha Alcalde Luján, is an attorney who was nominated by AMLO in 2024 to serve as head of the ISSSTE. Bertha Alcalde Luján had previously been considered by AMLO to serve as president of the National Electoral Institute (INE) and to serve on the Supreme Court.

Early political career

She became politically involved in 2005 in support of Andrés Manuel López Obrador, then-Head of Government of the Federal District. Alcalde later became head of the youth arm of the National Regeneration Movement (Morena), then a political association in support of AMLO.

In 2012, Alcalde was elected to the Chamber of Deputies at the age of 24. She was initially elected as a member of the Citizens' Movement, and served in the Labor and Social Security Committee. As a federal deputy, she accused Governor of Puebla Rafael Moreno Valle Rosas of persecuting activists opposed to the Morelos gas pipeline.

AMLO administration

In 2018, Alcalde was appointed by AMLO to serve as Secretary of Labor. During tenure in office, the minimum wage increased by approximately 97% when adjusted for inflation. In this position, Alcalde presided over the implementation of the AMLO government's labor reform agenda. In 2023, Alcalde was rumored to be a pre-candidate for Mayor of Mexico City in the 2024 election.

In 2023, Alcalde was appointed Secretary of the Interior, replacing Adán Augusto López, who resigned in order to run for Morena's presidential nomination in 2024. She became the youngest woman to serve in the position at the time of her appointment. Additionally, her appointment made her the second woman to hold the position, after Olga Sánchez Cordero.

Following the election of Claudia Sheinbaum as president, Alcalde has been speculated to be a candidate for leadership of Morena in October 2024. Her possible candidacy has been endorsed by legislator Gerardo Fernández Noroña.

Fake news controversies

In 2023, fake news purporting to be images of Alcalde spread on social media. The images were later confirmed to be photographs of model Camila Morena wearing a bikini. In 2024, a deepfake video of Alcalde encouraging viewers to join an investment program via Telegram spread on social media.