MEXICO CITY – A new leader has been chosen by the Institutional Revolutionary Party, or PRI, which governed Mexico from 1929 to 2000, ahead of next year’s presidential election.

Humberto Moreria was selected on Saturday to lead the PRI, Mexico’s main opposition party.

Moreira, who left the governorship of Coahuila state to seek the party’s presidency, will work with Congresswoman Cristina Diaz, who was elected the PRI’s secretary-general.

“For many years, our party had not been able to achieve unity in changing the national leadership,” Moreira said.

The two politicians were the only PRI members running in the internal party elections, making it the first contest to feature only one ticket in the past decade.

“We are united because Mexico comes first, because we cannot stand around with our arms crossed in the face of the critical situation the country is going through and because we want to win, and we will,” Moreira, who takes over for Beatriz Paredes, said.

The PRI’s hold on power was broken in 2000 by Vicente Fox, of the National Action Party, or PAN.

Fox, who governed Mexico from 2000-2006, ended 71 years of one-party rule by the PRI.

Moreira and Diaz will officially take up their posts for the 2011-2015 period on March 4, when the PRI will celebrate its 82nd anniversary.