Senate Confirms Former Senator Ken Salazar as New U.S. Ambassador to Mexico
Colorado Senator Ken Salazar gives the thumbs-up during the presidential nominating process at the Democratic National Convention at the Pepsi Center in Denver on August 27, 2008. Senator Joseph Biden, 65, steps up tonight to claim the Democratic nomination for US vice president. PAUL J. RICHARDS/AFP via Getty Images

Weeks after his nomination, Ken Salazar, a former Senator and interior secretary from Colorado, was approved unanimously by the Senate on Wednesday to become the new U.S. ambassador to Mexico.

Colorado Governor Jared Polis said in a press release Wednesday that the state of Colorado was very proud that one of their great statesmen would be representing the U.S. in Mexico, Denver Post reported.

Polis congratulated his good friend Salazar on his confirmation and said he was looking forward to working with him in expanding the economic and cultural ties between Mexico and Colorado.

Joe Biden Nominates Ken Salazar

Ken Salazar, 66, is the first of President Joe Biden's ambassador nominees to be confirmed. He became the first Latino elected to a statewide office in Colorado when he was elected as the Colorado attorney general in 1998.

Salazar also served in the Senate, where he represented the state of Colorado from 2005 until 2009. He retired from the Senate after former President Barack Obama nominated him to serve as the secretary of the Interior Department.

Ken Salazar Gets Support From Colorado Senators

Ken Salazar was a fifth-generation Coloradan and was born in the municipality of Alamosa. He was raised on a family ranch. Salazar, in 2013, joined WilmerHale, a law firm with a branch in Denver, according to the firm's website.

On June 15, Joe Biden announced that Salazar was among the nine individuals he would submit to the Senate for confirmation as ambassadors. The nomination of Salazar was supported by two Colorado senators, namely Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper.

Hickenlooper earlier said in a press release that Ken Salazar was an exceptional leader who has served the state of Colorado and the U.S. at the highest levels.

He added that as an American ambassador to Mexico, Salazar would revitalize the relationship with an ally, neighbor, and one of the country's biggest trading partners.

On the other hand, Bennet said that Joe Biden had made a terrific choice in nominating Ken Salazar as the next ambassador to Mexico. He noted that Salazar was a tremendous public servant with a strong record of bipartisanship in the Senate.

Bennet added that Salazar has always led with integrity, and he "have great confidence" in Salazar's ability to represent the U.S. in Mexico.

According to the National Museum of American Diplomacy, an ambassador is the president's representative to a country who usually leads the embassy in the country he or she is assigned to.

Salazar's confirmation came at a time when the Biden administration is dealing with a large influx of migrants at the U.S.-Mexico border, which is an issue that poses logistical and humanitarian challenges.

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Written by: Jess Smith

WATCH: Ken Salazar Confirmed By U.S. Senate To Serve As U.S. Ambassador To Mexico - From CBS Denver