Claudia Sheinbaum has made history with a resounding victory in Mexico’s presidential election, becoming the country’s first female president.
Preliminary results from Mexico’s National Electoral Institute (INE) indicate that the 61-year-old former mayor of Mexico City secured between 58% and 60% of the vote, leading her closest rival, businesswoman Xóchitl Gálvez, by nearly 30 percentage points. Gálvez has conceded defeat.
Sheinbaum, who will succeed outgoing President Andrés Manuel López Obrador on October 1, has pledged to continue the advancements made during his presidency.
In her victory speech, she assured voters, “I won’t fail you.”
Before her presidential bid, Sheinbaum held influential roles, including mayor of Mexico City, a position that many saw as a stepping stone to the presidency. Sheinbaum’s career began in science; both her parents were scientists, and she earned a doctorate in energy engineering. She studied Mexican energy consumption patterns in California and became an expert on climate change.
During López Obrador’s tenure as mayor of Mexico City, Sheinbaum served as Secretary of the Environment.
In 2018, she became the first female mayor of Mexico City, serving until 2023, when she resigned to run for president.
Despite the historic nature of having two female frontrunners, the campaign was marred by violent incidents.
The government reported more than 20 deaths across Mexico, though other estimates suggest a higher toll.
López Obrador, constitutionally barred from seeking a second term, endorsed Sheinbaum, whose campaign was bolstered by the outgoing president’s popularity, with an approval rating close to 60%.
