Claudia Sheinbaum has broken through 200 years of male governments to become Mexico’s first ever female president, following a convincing victory in the country’s just concluded election.
Sheinbaum, a climate scientist and former mayor of Mexico City, won the presidency with between 58.3% and 60.7% of the vote, according to a rapid sample count by Mexico’s electoral authority, the National Electoral Institute (NEI).
Opposition candidate Xochitl Galvez conceded defeat after preliminary results showed her taking between 26.6% and 28.6% of the vote.
“A few minutes ago, I contacted Sheinbaum to acknowledge the election result. I told her that I saw a Mexico with a lot of pain and violence and that I hope she can resolve the serious problems of our people,” Galvez told local media.
Mexico now joins a list of 11 Latin American nations that are or have been governed by women, which include Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Haiti, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Panama.
Addressing thousands of supporters who gathered to celebrate her victory on Monday, June 3, 2024, Sheinbaum promised freedom of the press and a continuation of the social programmes of her mentor and outgoing President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador.
Additionally, she made an X post expressing her commitment to serve the people.
“We have made possible the continuity and progress of the fourth transformation. I commit to you that I will not let you down. There is history, there is a homeland, there are people, and there is commitment,” she posted.
The country, with 129.5 million inhabitants and the second-largest economy in Latin America, is known for its violence against women, drug trafficking, disappearances, and rampant murders. These are some of the enormous challenges that await the president-elect.