Francisco Barrio

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Francisco Barrio

Francisco Javier Barrio Terrazas (b. November 25, 1950) is a Mexican politician affiliated to the National Action Party (PAN). He is a former governor of Chihuahua and former secretary in the cabinet of President Vicente Fox.

Francisco Barrio was born in Chihuahua, Chihuahua and received a bachelor's degree in accounting and an MBA from the Autonomous University of Chihuahua. He did some consulting and worked in the private sector before joining the local chapter of the National Action Party in 1983 and becoming its first member to ever win the mayorship of Juárez, Chihuahua.

He ran for governor in 1986 and lost against the PRI candidate in one of the most controversial elections in the state's recent history. Six years later he made another attempt and won, ending more than 60 years of uninterrupted control of Chihuahua's governorship by members of the Institutional Revolutionary Party. As a governor, he delivered mixed results and consequently the PRI regained control of the state at the end of his term.

Barrio headed the Federal Comptroller's Secretariat (2000 – 2003) and was elected to the Chamber of Deputies, where he became the leader of the National Action Party's parliamentary group.

On February 24, 2005 he expressed interest in becoming the PAN presidential candidate and campaigned for a few months before quiting on July 7 arguing partisan favoritism towards the former minister of the interior, Santiago Creel. [1]