Maj. Gen. Juan José Gómez Ruiz was sworn in as the new commander of the Mexican Army after the retirement of Maj. Gen. Francisco Jesús Leana Ojeda, the Secretariat of National Defense announced April 1, 2026. President Claudia Sheinbaum approved Maj. Gen. Gómez Ruiz’s appointment as commander.
Maj. Gen. Arturo Coronel Flores, chief of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the National Defense, administered the oath of office and led the oath of allegiance to the flag at Military Camp No. 1-A in Mexico City. Maj. Gen. Gómez Ruiz will supervise administration and development of the Mexican Army, as well as the training of its Soldiers.
Maj. Gen. Gómez Ruiz has wide-ranging military, international and academic experience. He graduated from the Heroic Military College as an officer of the cavalry arm. He has a bachelor’s degree in military administration from the War College; a master’s degree in military administration for internal security and national defense from the National Defense College; and a master’s in diplomatic studies from the Matías Romero Institute of the Secretariat of Foreign Affairs in Mexico City.
His military experience includes serving as commander of the 4th Military Region, based in Monterrey, Nuevo León; commander of the 8th Military Zone in Reynosa, Tamaulipas, and the 18th Military Zone in Pachuca, Hidalgo; and commander of the Special Forces Corps and director of the Special Forces Training Center in Temamatla, state of Mexico. His international credentials include service as deputy military attache to the Mexican Embassy in France, concurrent with Belgium, Israel and the Netherlands; and director general of the Secretariat of the Inter-American Defense Board in Washington, D.C.
Retiring Maj. Gen. Leana Ojeda had served as commander of the Mexican Army since July 1, 2025. He has a bachelor’s degree in military administration, and a master’s in military administration for national security and defense, La Jornada newspaper reported. He served as commander of the 7th Artillery Battalion in the state of Mexico; deputy director of the War College in Mexico City; deputy chief and chief of staff of the military zone in Pie de la Cuesta, Guerrero, and other key positions.
Gen. Gregory M. Guillot, commander of U.S. Northern Command (USNORTHCOM) and the North American Aerospace Defense Command, testified March 19, 2026, before the Senate Armed Services Committee and emphasized the lasting partnership between U.S. and Mexican forces. “The USNORTHCOM relationship with Mexican military partners stands strong and pays lasting dividends for the security of both the United States and Mexico,” he said. “USNORTHCOM maintains its long-standing relationships with the Mexican Department of the Navy (MARINA) and Department of National Defense (DEFENSA) and addresses shared security challenges by, with, and through our Mexican partners. The year-round partnership with DEFENSA and MARINA has generated significant benefits for U.S. homeland defense while enhancing the capability of Mexican partners to defend their nation against Russian and Chinese influence as well as taking the fight to the violent transnational criminal organizations that have plagued both nations.”