Each state maintains its own political rights and divisions under a federal system. Federal power in the Mexican republic is divided between executive, legislative and judicial branches. Included in the executive branch are 17 cabinet-level departments, or Secretarias and the Attorney General of the Republic. The Congress of the Union, composed of the Chamber of Senators and the Chamber of Deputies, holds legislative power. The president is directly elected through popular vote to a six-year term, which begins December 1.
Presidents can serve only one term.
Secretar as The Secretarios de Estado and heads of administrative departments report directly to the president. Nominations and approval, as well as dismissal, do not need approval of the Congress. For this reason, acts of Secretarios are considered acts of the president of the republic. The Secretar a de Gobernaci n is not analagous to the United States' Department of the Interior. Gobernaci n handles immigration, visa, security and other issues.