Claudia Sheinbaum elected as Mexico’s first woman President

• Sheinbaum leads by about 30 percentage points over her main rival, businesswoman Xóchitl Gálvez.
• Sheinbaum became the first female mayor of Mexico City in 2018 and held the position until 2023.
• The election has been described as a significant change for women in Mexico.

In a historic landslide win, Claudia Sheinbaum has become Mexico’s first woman president. Preliminary results from Mexico’s official electoral authority show the 61-year-old former mayor of Mexico City securing between 58% and 60% of the vote in Sunday’s election.

Sheinbaum leads by about 30 percentage points over her main rival, businesswoman Xóchitl Gálvez. She will replace her mentor, outgoing President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, on October 1.

As a former energy scientist, Sheinbaum has promised continuity, vowing to build on the “advances” made by López Obrador. She plans to further expand the welfare programs that have contributed to the outgoing president’s popularity.

In her victory speech, Sheinbaum highlighted the unique nature of this Mexican election. She told cheering voters, “For the first time in the 200 years of the Mexican Republic, I will become the first woman president of Mexico.”

Sheinbaum stated that this achievement is not just for her but for all women. “I’ve said it from the start, this is not just about me getting to the top office; it’s about all of us getting here,” she said. She assured me, “I won’t fail you.” Sheinbaum also thanked her rival, Xóchitl Gálvez, who conceded victory.

Before running for president, Sheinbaum served as mayor of Mexico City, one of the country’s most influential political positions, often seen as a stepping stone to the presidency. Her maternal grandparents, Jewish immigrants from Bulgaria, fled the Nazis and settled in Mexico, while her paternal grandparents came from Lithuania. Sheinbaum enjoyed an illustrious career as a scientist before transitioning into politics.

Both of Sheinbaum’s parents were scientists. She studied physics and earned a doctorate in energy engineering. She spent years at a renowned research lab in California, studying Mexican energy consumption patterns and becoming an expert on climate change.

Her experience and student activism eventually earned her the position of secretary of the environment for Mexico City when Andrés Manuel López Obrador was mayor. In 2018, she became the first female mayor of Mexico City, a position she held until 2023 when she stepped down to run for president.

The election, which saw Sheinbaum face off against Gálvez, has been described as a sea change for women in Mexico. Edelmira Montiel, 87, expressed her gratitude for being alive to witness a woman elected to the top office.

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