He served in the cabinet of Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO) during his tenure as Head of the Federal Government (Mayor of Mexico City).

Encinas succeeded AMLO as Head of Government in 2005 after he resigned to run for president, and served until 2006.

In 2000, he ran for chief administrator (Spanish: delegado) of Álvaro Obregón, a borough of Mexico City.

[2] After López Obrador resigned to run for president in 2006, Encinas became Head of Government, serving from August 1, 2005, to December 4, 2006.

He was appointed acting Secretary of the Interior on 16 June 2023 by President Andrés Manuel López Obrador.