Mexico City, March 3 (teleSUR-RHC)-- Mexico’s Senate Justice Committee approved Arely Gomez as the nominee for the country’s new attorney general post on Monday, days after former law-enforcement chief, Jesus Murillo Karam, was moved to a different position.

Gomez, proposed by President Enrique Peña Nieto, left her position as a senator of the ruling Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) last week to assume the role.

“The challenge that confronts us is to reinforce the citizen's trust in the attorney general's office. We all aspire for an exemplary institution,” said Gomez at the Monday session.

The proposal of Gomez and removal of Murillo Karam occurs as the attorney general’s office has suffered sharp public and institutional criticism for its handling of high profile cases such as the enforced disappearance of 43 students in Ayotzinapa last year.

The institution has been accused of disregarding or even being complicit in human rights abuses and permitting impunity. Some analysts say that the proposal of Gomez as Attorney General is generating more controversy and criticism.

Gomez is the sister of a vice president of media giant, Televisa, a company that owns more than 70 percent of Mexico’s television market.

In recent years Televisa has been accused of playing an influential role in Mexican politics. During the 2012 presidential campaign, the company was accused of giving favorable coverage and airtime to then candidate Peña Nieto. Meanwhile the president’s wife, First Lady Angelica Rivera, is a former soap opera actress who worked on Televisa productions.

Arely Gomez’s appointment will be voted upon by the entire Mexican Senate on Tuesday.