Eduardo Medina-Mora, right, was the architect of Felipe Calderon's war against drug cartels [AFP]

Felipe Calderon told reporters on Monday that Arturo Chavez, a lawyer and former official in the attorney general's office, would replace Medina-Mora as the point man in the fight against drug cartels.

Calderon praised Medina-Mora for his "professionalism, his commitment and loyalty to Mexico" which he said had been crucial "in hitting hard" against organised crime.

And he said the new man, Chavez, "has wide experience in law and specifically in combating organised crime".

Two others removed in Monday's cabinet shake-up were Jesus Reyes Heroles, the head of state energy company Pemex, and Alberto Cardenas, the agriculture minister.

Calderon, whose term runs to late 2012, gave no explanation for the three resignations.

Medina-Mora is the architect of the government's anti-drug campaign, which Calderon had staked his presidency on since taking office in 2006, but which has so far failed to defeat powerful cartels.

More than 13,000 people have been killed in drug-related violence and turf wars since 2006, despite a crackdown by thousands of troops and federal police.

A large deployment of troops in the city of Ciudad Juarez, on the border with Texas, has not slowed a wave of drug killings there.

'Unquestionable progress'

Drug-related violence remains high despite a country-wide crackdown on cartels [EPA]

Medina-Mora did not give a reason for his resignation, saying in his farewell speech that "we have done a lot to clean the house", referring to his efforts to combat rampant police and government corruption.

The outgoing attorney general admitted "successes and errors like in all human endeavours" but defended Calderon's tough campaign against Mexican drug gangs.

"The strategy for recovering the public's security and the tactic of changing the way things were, have been correct," he said at a ceremony announcing the cabinet changes.

"Progress has unquestionably been made. The historic decision to use all the power of the state to put a stop to the power of the criminal organisations was fundamental to ensure our future as a nation."

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