Claudia Sheinbaum Set to Make History as Mexico’s First Female President
In a historic turn for Mexico, Claudia Sheinbaum is poised to become the country’s first female president in its 200-year history. As the projected winner of the presidential election, Sheinbaum is set to continue the populist leftist agenda of outgoing President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, while bringing her unique perspective and style to the role.
Sheinbaum, a climate scientist and former mayor of Mexico City, addressed her supporters in the iconic Zocalo plaza, promising not to let them down. Her victory marks a significant break from Mexico’s traditionally male-dominated political arena.
“I promise that I am not going to let you down,” Sheinbaum assured the crowd.
According to the National Electoral Institute, Sheinbaum secured between 58.3% and 60.7% of the vote. Her main opponent, Xóchitl Gálvez, received between 26.6% and 28.6%, while Jorge Álvarez Máynez garnered between 9.9% and 10.8%. Sheinbaum’s party, Morena, is also projected to retain its majorities in both chambers of Congress.
Sheinbaum announced that her competitors had called to concede defeat, and with nearly 50% of polling places reporting, she held a significant 28-point lead over Gálvez. The fact that both leading candidates were women ensured that Mexico would make history in this election.
“As I have said on other occasions, I do not arrive alone,” Sheinbaum stated after her victory was confirmed. “We all arrived, with our heroines who gave us our homeland, with our mothers, our daughters, and our granddaughters.”
Sheinbaum will also be the first person of Jewish heritage to lead Mexico, a predominantly Catholic nation. She will begin her six-year term on October 1, as the Mexican constitution prohibits re-election.
Voters faced a clear choice in this election: a former academic who pledges to advance the current administration’s populist policies versus an ex-senator and tech entrepreneur committed to intensifying the fight against drug cartels. Sheinbaum has consistently advocated for the government’s strong role in addressing economic inequality and ensuring a robust social safety net, echoing the principles of her political mentor, López Obrador.
Despite a vigorous campaign by Gálvez, Sheinbaum, 61, maintained a steady lead in the polls. This election marks the first time in Mexico’s history that the two main contenders were women.
“Of course, I congratulate Claudia Sheinbaum with all my respect who ended up the winner by a wide margin,” López Obrador said following the electoral authorities’ announcement. “She is going to be Mexico’s first female president in 200 years.”
If the current margin holds, Sheinbaum’s victory will rival the landslide triumph of López Obrador in 2018, when he secured the presidency with 53.2% of the vote against his closest rivals from the National Action Party and the Institutional Revolutionary Party, who garnered 22.3% and 16.5%, respectively.
Claudia Sheinbaum’s impending presidency represents a monumental step forward for Mexico, signaling not only a continuation of progressive policies but also a groundbreaking moment for gender equality in the nation’s highest office.
