Ramón Beteta Quintana was born in Hermosillo (though it was registered in Mexico City) on 7 October 1901.
He studied at the University of Texas at Austin between 1920 and 1923, graduating with a degree in economics.
[2] Beteta was one of the founders of the National School of Economics at the UNAM, where he taught from 1924 to 1942.
[2] Beteta held various positions in three presidential administrations: Director-General of the Department of National Statistics of the Department of Industry and Trade from 1933 to 1935; Deputy Foreign Minister from 1936 to 1940; and Secretary of Finance and Public Credit from 1946 to 1952.
Towards the end of his life he became involved in journalism as Director-General of the Novedades and the Diario de la Tarde between 1958 and 1964.