In a historic moment for Mexico, Claudia Sheinbaum wins the presidency, becoming the first female president in 200 years. Her victory comes with a landslide win in the Mexican Presidential elections held on 2 June 2024. According to the Mexican Electoral Authority, Sheinbaum garnered approximately 58.3% to 60.7% of the votes. This marks the highest vote percentage in Mexico’s democratic history. Ms. Sheinbaum will succeed her mentor, President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, who is stepping down on October 1. Mr. Obrador was well-liked by the impoverished for his programs aimed at improving their lot in life.
Ms. Sheinbaum secured a significant lead of thirty points over her rival entrepreneur, Xóchitl Gálvez. This marked a historic moment in Mexican elections, with both main contenders being women. In Mexico, a majority is held by Claudia Sheinbaum’s “Morena” political party in both chambers of Congress. Ms. Sheinbaum voiced her intention to continue and extend Obrador’s social programs. She acknowledged the difficulty posed by Mexico’s modest GDP growth of 1.5%, reported by the central bank. Nonetheless, she remains committed to navigating these challenges. With 38 candidates slain in the most violent Mexican elections ever held in 2024, Sheinbaum has pledged to strengthen security and restore calm to the nation in light of the rising number of incidences of trafficking, cartel crime, homicide, etc.
In her victory speech she dedicated her Presidential victory to all the women and calls on for the things they can achieve. She is also set to become the first Jewish President of a majoritarian Catholic country. The next president will have to deal with issues like water and electricity scarcity and encourage businesses to move as part of the nearshoring movement, which sees supply chains moved closer to primary markets.
Background
Ms. Sheinbaum was the first female mayor of Mexico City before taking office. Her father grandparents were from Lithuania, while her Jewish maternal grandparents fled Nazi persecution in Bulgaria to seek safety in Mexico. Her family’s story shows they never gave up. Growing up in a family of scientists, Ms. Sheinbaum continued her education, first obtaining a physics bachelor’s degree and then a doctorate.
Ms. Sheinbaum was well-known as a scientist with a focus on energy engineering before entering politics. Using her experience, she carried out in-depth studies on Mexico’s energy usage trends and became recognized as a climate change specialist. Her background in science enables her to lead the creation of strong climate change policies at home. She can also make a big impact globally on climate change.
U.S Relations
Sheinbaum has to deal with difficult talks with the United States about migration, drugs, and epidemics. It might get harder if Donald Trump wins the US Presidential Elections in November 2024, right when Sheinbaum begins her term. Opposition has been naming her as the ‘puppet’ of Lopez Obrador but she has denied such claims.
Conclusion
Ms. Sheinbaum’s historic win as the first woman to secure victory in North America, spanning the USA, Canada, and Mexico, carries profound implications. Her victory is about more than just gender equality. It’s a big step towards including more people, like women and the LGBTQIA+ community, in Mexico’s politics. This breakthrough has the potential to reshape the trajectory of Mexican democracy, prompting a reevaluation of policy priorities.
More funding and attention are about to be given to Childcare, women’s health, prevention of domestic abuse, reproductive rights, and equal pay are among the long-marginalized issues. Furthermore, including a range of viewpoints in decision-making procedures should make democracy more inclusive and responsive to the interests of all citizens. Mexico’s political history is changing in a big way. This moment promises to make the government more inclusive, affecting democracy, diversity, and how Mexico interacts with other countries.
