In a historic moment for Mexico, Claudia Sheinbaum has won a landslide victory to become the country’s first female president. Sheinbaum, a climate scientist and former mayor of Mexico City, secured between 58.3% and 60.7% of the vote, according to a rapid sample count by Mexico’s electoral authority. This is set to be the highest vote percentage in Mexico’s democratic history.
Sheinbaum’s triumph is a testament to the popularity of her mentor and outgoing leader, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, whose support among the poor helped drive her success. The ruling coalition is also on track for a possible two-thirds super majority in both houses of Congress, which would allow them to pass constitutional reforms without opposition support.
Opposition candidate Xochitl Galvez conceded defeat after preliminary results showed her taking between 26.6% and 28.6% of the vote.
In her victory speech, Sheinbaum declared, “For the first time in the 200 years of the republic I will become the first woman president of Mexico,” to loud cheers of “president, president” from her supporters.
Sheinbaum’s victory marks a significant step forward for Mexico, a country known for its macho culture and home to the world’s second-largest Roman Catholic population, which has traditionally promoted more traditional values and roles for women.
Edelmira Montiel, an 87-year-old Sheinbaum supporter from Mexico’s smallest state, Tlaxcala, expressed her surprise and delight at the historic moment, stating, “I never imagined that one day I would vote for a woman.”
Sheinbaum’s win not only shatters the glass ceiling in Mexican politics but also positions her as the first woman to win a general election in the United States, Mexico, or Canada.
As Mexico’s first female president, Sheinbaum will face the challenge of building upon the legacy of her predecessor while addressing the country’s pressing issues and continuing to champion the causes that have brought her to this momentous occasion.
Credit: Reuters
