Claudia Sheinbaum has made history by becoming Mexico’s first female president, succeeding her mentor and outgoing leader Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador. Her victory was driven by Lopez Obrador’s widespread popularity among the poor.
Sheinbaum, a climate scientist and former mayor of Mexico City, secured the presidency with an estimated 58.3% to 60.7% of the vote, according to a rapid sample count by Mexico’s electoral authority. This marks the highest vote percentage in Mexico’s democratic history.
The ruling coalition, which Sheinbaum represents, is also projected to achieve a two-thirds supermajority in both houses of Congress, enabling them to pass constitutional reforms without needing opposition support. Opposition candidate Xochitl Galvez conceded defeat, having garnered between 26.6% and 28.6% of the vote.
In her victory speech, Sheinbaum addressed her supporters with the declaration: “For the first time in the 200 years of the republic I will become the first woman president of Mexico,” eliciting enthusiastic chants of “president, president.”
Sheinbaum’s victory represents a significant milestone for Mexico, a nation traditionally known for its conservative and macho culture. Her election reflects a broader shift towards gender equality in a country with the world’s second-largest Roman Catholic population.
The historic win is underscored by personal stories like that of 87-year-old Edelmira Montiel from Tlaxcala, Mexico’s smallest state. “I never imagined that one day I would vote for a woman,” Montiel said. “Before, we couldn’t even vote, and when you could, it was to vote for the person your husband told you to vote for. Thank God that has changed and I get to live it.”
Sheinbaum faces significant challenges ahead. She must fulfill her promises to enhance welfare policies while managing a substantial budget deficit and sluggish economic growth. After the announcement of the preliminary results, she assured her supporters that her government would be fiscally responsible and respect the autonomy of the central bank.
Claudia Sheinbaum’s election as president marks a transformative moment for Mexico, setting a precedent not only for the nation but also as the first woman to win a general election in the United States, Mexico, or Canada.
