In a historic landslide victory, Claudia Sheinbaum has been elected as Mexico’s first woman president. Preliminary results from Mexico’s electoral authority indicate that the 61-year-old former mayor of Mexico City secured between 58% and 60% of the vote in Sunday’s election. This gives her a commanding lead of more than 30 percentage points over her main rival, businesswoman Xóchitl Gálvez.
Sheinbaum is set to succeed her mentor, outgoing President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, on October 1, 2024. In her victory speech, Sheinbaum vowed to continue building on López Obrador’s legacy, promising voters, “I won’t fail you.” Celebrations erupted in Mexico City’s Zócalo square, where her supporters waved banners reading “Claudia Sheinbaum, president.”
Sheinbaum’s election marks a significant breakthrough for women in Mexican politics. Before her presidential bid, Sheinbaum had an illustrious career as an energy scientist and served as mayor of Mexico City from 2018 to 2023. Her scientific background and student activism led to her appointment as the city’s secretary of the environment during López Obrador’s tenure as mayor.
The election has been hailed as a sea change for women’s political representation in Mexico. Edelmira Montiel, 87, expressed her gratitude for witnessing a woman elected to the nation’s highest office, recalling the days when women couldn’t vote or were influenced by their husbands’ choices.
However, the campaign was marred by violence, with more than 20 local candidates killed in the run-up to the vote. Gálvez criticized the government for failing to curb the violence plaguing many parts of Mexico, promising to confront crime more aggressively if elected.
López Obrador, who enjoyed nearly 60% approval ratings, could not run for a second term due to Mexico’s constitutional limits. His backing significantly boosted Sheinbaum’s campaign, with many voters supporting Morena’s anti-poverty initiatives, which have reportedly lifted millions out of poverty over the past six years.
Economists noted that increased remittances from Mexicans abroad also played a role in alleviating poverty. Nonetheless, voters appear to have endorsed Sheinbaum’s commitment to continuing what they see as a successful program under López Obrador.
As Mexico prepares for this historic transition, Sheinbaum’s presidency is anticipated to bring both continuity and new challenges as she steps into the role of the nation’s first female leader.
