Tijuana’s new mayor walked into City Hall to begin his first official day on the job Tuesday. One of his first orders of business was to gather with officials and community members for a watch party as Claudia Sheinbaum was sworn in as the first female president in Mexico’s history. “We now have our first woman president of Mexico,” Ismael Burgueño said. “I know she will do a great job.” Both Sheinbaum and Burgueño — a former elementary school teacher and state leader of the ruling Morena party, who will lead the city for the next three years — take office at a time when drug violence remains one of the country’s main challenges. President Claudia Sheinbaum, center, and outgoing President Andres Manuel López Obrador, right, stand before lawmakers on her inauguration day at Congress in Mexico City, Tuesday. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo) From January to August, 1,262 homicides were recorded in Tijuana, according to state data. In addition, the Citizen’s Council for Public Safety ranked Tijuana as one of the most violent cities in Mexico in 2023. Tijuana resident Candelaria Campos, who attended the City Hall watch party, said public safety was one of her biggest concerns. “First and foremost, security. That’s what we want most.” Campos held a sign in support of Sheinbaum, a scientist and former mayor of Mexico City. She said she was excited to see this milestone for women in her country. “We have hope that the country will move forward, economically, socially, in all aspects,” she said. “This is what we want for the future of our children.” On Monday night during his inauguration speech, Burgueño said that security would be a priority. “I say this without hesitation, we are going to have a safe Tijuana. I say this clearly and firmly,” he said. In attendance was Lt. Col. Julián Leyzaola, whom Burgueño plans to propose as Tijuana’s new secretary of public security. Leyzaola held the post from 2008 to 2010, and officials have attributed a drop in crime during his tenure to his leadership. Leyzaola said he will wait for confirmation from the City Council to talk more about his security strategies. But he added that if he is chosen, he would devote himself exclusively to restoring peace to the city. Burgueño said he expects a vote this week. A new Tijuana City Council was also sworn in on Monday night, and it immediately voted for Arnulfo Guerrero as the city’s new secretary of government, or second-in-charge. Burgueño, who won the June elections by a landslide, succeeds former Mayor Montserrat Caballero, who made history as the first woman elected at the polls for the post. Carlos Jaramillo, president of the Tijuana Business Coordinating Council, said he was optimistic about the new municipal government and open to dialogue. He agreed that steps must be taken to attract business to the city. “There is no better promotion than having a safe city,” he said. “We need to address the structural problems of the city, and that alone will promote tourism and make them feel safe to visit us.” Jaramillo said the region’s binational agenda, which includes issues such as border crossings and the environment, must be addressed. Although these areas are the purview of the federal government, Burgueño has previously said he will advocate for them on behalf of the city. Tijuana Mayor Ismael Burgueño is interviewed after his inauguration ceremony. (Ana Ramirez / The San Diego Union-Tribune) Last week, Burgueño met with leaders from San Diego County, a gathering hosted by the San Diego Association of Governments, or SANDAG. Chairwoman Nora Vargas said in a statement that the event was “all about fostering relationships and creating new opportunities for collaboration as we work together to tackle shared challenges and improve the quality of life for our communities.” Imperial Beach Mayor Paloma Aguirre, who has been deeply involved in efforts to address cross-border sewage pollution affecting her city, attended Burgueño’s inauguration in Tijuana. “We want to continue this cooperation with the administration, both municipal and state, and now with the President (Sheinbaum),” Aguirre said. The overhaul of the San Antonio de los Buenos sewage treatment plant, a project started by the previous federal administration which is expected to be crucial in reducing the amount of sewage that has polluted the coastlines of San Diego County and Tijuana, is expected to be completed before the end of the year, Mexican officials have said. “There is still some way to go, and that is why I am interested in continuing this collaboration,” Aguirre said. Other ongoing federal projects include the construction of an elevated highway viaduct that will connect Playas de Tijuana to the Tijuana International Airport and the Mexican side of the Otay Mesa East border crossing. Tijuana resident Carolina Bermudez said she expects results from the new leaders. “I really hope that we will improve in every way,” she said. “In our schools, in our streets, and that there will be jobs and prosperity.”