Mexico elects its first female president – ​​​​Claudia Sheinbaum – FINCHANNEL

MEXICO CITY – Claudia Sheinbaum, an environmental scientist and former mayor of Mexico City, was overwhelmingly elected on Sunday as Mexico’s first female president, a historic milestone in a country rife with gender-based violence and misogyny.

With almost 40% of the votes counted, the Mexican electoral agency estimates that Sheinbaum is on track to win the race with between 58% and more than 60% of the vote. Her closest rival,

In her victory speech to supporters, Sheinbaum said both rivals had conceded and called to congratulate her on her victory. “I will be the first female president of Mexico,” she told the crowd.

The man widely seen as her political mentor, outgoing President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, posted his congratulations on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Sheinbaum has been the leading candidate for president for more than a year. In a country with one of the highest murder rates of women in the world, Sheinbaum’s victory underlines the progress women have made in politics.

The 61-year-old climate scientist was part of the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change team that would share the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize with former US Vice President Al Gore. Now Sheinbaum – whose grandparents escaped the Holocaust – will hold the most powerful office in the country.

Elena Poniatowska, 92, one of Mexico’s leading writers, has chronicled decades of women’s history in the country. “I’ve always believed in women,” Poniatowska told NPR just days before the election. “I don’t think it’s a dream. I think it is a battle that has been won.”

Despite the historic nature of Sheinbaum’s victory, many voters in Mexico see it less as a reflection on gender equality and more as a referendum on the last six years of López Obrador, popularly known by his initials as AMLO.

He is one of the most divisive – and popular – figures in Mexican history: a grassroots populist who has implemented social programs that lifted millions of people out of poverty, but who critics say has undermined democratic institutions while empowering the military datum.

Ignacio Morales cast his vote for Sheinbaum on Sunday because she has the support of López Obrador, who considers Morales “perfect.”

“I don’t have much left to live, but I will support him until death,” said Morales, 77, who is retired. Morales gave a list of reasons: López Obrador has embarked on “wonderful projects” such as new rail lines and oil refineries; he gives a monthly pension to elderly Mexicans and, most importantly, he takes care of the poor.

Under the Mexican Constitution, presidents can only serve one six-year term.

She is López Obrador’s political protege. She started her political career as his environment minister after he was elected mayor of Mexico City in 2000. Since then, she has been staunchly loyal and even supports his pro-oil energy agenda, despite her environmental background.

Although Sheinbaum lacks López Obrador’s charisma and popular appeal, she has a reputation for being analytical, disciplined and demanding. Most importantly, she has pledged to support López Obrador’s policies and popular social programs, including universal retirement benefits for seniors and providing cash payments to low-income residents.

“Claudia represents the continuation of AMLO,” said Norma Bautista Herrera, who sells vegetables at a market in Mexico City. After López Obrador’s election in 2018, Bautista Herrera began receiving monthly payments of $660 pesos, about $38, to help her support her 11-year-old daughter. She uses that money to buy household items such as soap, eggs, sugar and Clorox.

Gálvez, Sheinbaum’s closest competitor for the presidency, is an indigenous, pro-business tech entrepreneur who has represented several opposition parties to the establishment. Despite her compelling life story, Gálvez was never able to distance herself from the corruption and disillusionment that voters associated with those parties.

Many who voted for Gálvez were more motivated by her promised break with López Obrador and the electoral power of his Morena party than Gálvez’s campaign promises. In a country that had one-party rule for 70 years until 2000, they are concerned about Lopez Obrador’s moves to undermine judicial independence and his security policies that have led to record numbers of murders.

“He is a dictator and Sheinbaum is his puppet,” said Almarosa Anaya, standing with her two adult daughters outside a polling station in Mexico City’s upscale Roma Norte neighborhood. She said López Obrador wants to turn Mexico into a communist country, “like Venezuela and Cuba.”

This election has also been historic for another grim reason: it was one of the most violent. In the run-up to these elections, more than thirty candidates were murdered.