Mexico elects its first female president

Claudia Sheinbaum Elected Mexico’s First Female President

MEXICO CITY — Claudia Sheinbaum, an environmental scientist and former mayor of Mexico City, has been elected as Mexico’s first female president, marking a historic milestone in a nation grappling with gender-based violence and misogyny.

With nearly 40% of the votes counted, Mexico’s electoral agency estimates Sheinbaum is on track to secure the presidency with between 58% to over 60% of the vote. Her closest competitor, Xóchitl Gálvez, is projected to receive between 26% and 28%, while the other opposition candidate, Jorge Álvarez Máynez, is expected to garner between 9% and 10%.

In her victory speech, Sheinbaum announced that her rivals had conceded and congratulated her. “I will become the first woman president of Mexico,” she declared to a cheering crowd.

Outgoing President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, seen as Sheinbaum’s political mentor, congratulated her on X, formerly known as Twitter. Sheinbaum has been the leading candidate for over a year. Her victory highlights the progress women have made in Mexican politics, despite the country having one of the highest rates of femicide globally.

Despite the historic significance of Sheinbaum’s victory, many Mexican voters view it more as a referendum on the past six years under López Obrador, known by his initials AMLO, than as a sign of advancing gender equality.

Sheinbaum’s election is a pivotal moment for Mexico, representing both progress and the ongoing challenges in achieving true gender parity in a country still marred by deep-rooted societal issues. Her presidency is expected to shape the future of Mexico’s political landscape significantly.

Re-reported from the article originally published in npr.