In a surprising revelation, Claudia Sheinbaum, former head of government of Mexico City, confirmed her plans to marry her long-time boyfriend, Jesús María Tarriba Unger. The announcement has caught the attention of the entire Mexican Republic, as many consider Sheinbaum to be the successor of Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO) in the 2024 presidential elections.
Sheinbaum’s prominence as a political figure, combined with her recent nomination as the presidential candidate for the Movimiento Regeneración Nacional (Morena) party, has heightened public curiosity about the dynamics of this upcoming union. The anticipation extends beyond their personal story to Tarriba Unger’s potential role as the “Primer Caballero” (First Gentleman) if Sheinbaum were to win the presidency.
Who is Jesús María Tarriba Unger?
Tarriba Unger is no ordinary figure. He boasts an impressive academic background, having studied physics and completed his doctoral thesis at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) between 1982 and 1987. His research excellence was recognized in 1994 when he received the Weizmann Award for exact sciences. Despite completing part of his research at the University of California, his ties with Mexico remained robust.
Professionally, Tarriba Unger has dedicated himself to the financial sector. From his LinkedIn profile, one can discern that his mathematical prowess led him to serve as a specialist in financial risk models for the Bank of Mexico (Banxico) since 2017. Before this, his experiences as a quantitative analyst at Banamex and subsequent leadership roles in risk management at Santander over 16 years honed his expertise in financial risk assessment.
Rekindling the Past
The duo’s love story traces back to their time at UNAM. Both studied physics, with Tarriba Unger being a year junior to Sheinbaum. They dated briefly during their university years, but life took them on separate paths. Sheinbaum was previously married to Carlos Ímaz, with whom she shares a daughter.
However, the advent of social media played cupid. In 2016, three decades after their first encounter, Sheinbaum stumbled upon Tarriba Unger’s profile on Facebook. The surprise online reunion, facilitated by a friend request sent by Sheinbaum, reignited their old flame. At that time, Tarriba Unger was in Spain, but given the rekindled chemistry, he chose to return to Mexico to continue their love story. Since then, their relationship has been characterized by discretion and mutual support.
A Wedding and Beyond
Although the exact date of their wedding remains undisclosed, Sheinbaum shared some intimate details about their relationship in a radio interview with Martha Debayle. She praised Tarriba Unger’s understanding and support, emphasizing the importance of their quality time together.
The public has occasionally gotten a glimpse of their bond, from a shared song on Independence Day to joint appearances at various events. Given the trajectory of their unique relationship and Sheinbaum’s political ambitions, the upcoming wedding might be just the beginning of another chapter in their intertwined journey.
