Mexico Elects First Woman President

Picture from Wikimedia Commons

In a historic landslide victory, Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo was elected Mexico’s first woman president this past Sunday night. In her victory speech, Sheinbaum addressed the nation’s 200-year-old history, noting that she shares her win with the Mexican women of the past, present, and future. “No llego sola, llegamos todas. Con las heroínas que nos dieron patria, nuestras ancestras, nuestras madres, nuestras hijas y nuestras nietas,”  she said in a hopeful tone. (Translation: “I did not arrive alone, but together with you all. With the heroines that gave us our homeland, our ancestors, our mothers, our daughters, and our granddaughters”). It is expected that the president-elect will carry on the agenda of the current president, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador (AMLO), and the left-wing Morena party. 

Sheinbaum promises the continuation of the Fourth Transformation of the country, or 4T, as it’s commonly referred to. During her campaign, the president-elect assured supporters she’d maintain AMLO’s social welfare programs, including senior-citizen pensions, scholarships for youth in need, and the promotion of infrastructure projects. Her “Safe and Just Republic” proposal addresses the country’s insecurity and widespread violence, with strategies such as reforming judicial powers and consolidating the National Guard. As Sheibaum promises universal scholarships for students, increased teacher salaries, and further development of culture and science in the country, the “Educational, Humanist, and Scientific Republic” proposal recognizes the importance of free education. Sheibaum also promises a “social orientation of spending” economy along with increasing the minimum wage, with the greater goal of combating poverty and eradicating inequality. The president-elect also hopes to implement policy changes to water laws that will regulate water use and exploitation and prioritize public interest. Lastly, the climate scientist is committed to promoting renewable energy and energy efficiency to combat climate change. 

In a country with growing rates of gender-based violence and femicide, the election of a woman into the most powerful role in government has given hope to many that changes in Mexico’s long battle with insecurity might finally occur. While we await the implementation of her security proposals, what we can be certain of through the election of Mexico’s first woman president is that, as alluded to in her victory speech, this historic achievement will continue to open doors for women in politics and diverse fields across the country. Young girls, our daughters and granddaughters, as Sheinbaum referred to them, will be able to imagine their futures in similar roles far beyond those that 200 years of machismo culture has predetermined for them. Beyond the political party discourse, the election of Mexico’s first female president will pave the way for future women leaders to participate in roles that they have historically been underrepresented in. 

Sheinbaum will begin her term on October 1st, carrying on many of AMLO’s goals and  implementing new strategies to achieve them. Despite political party polarization, over 58% of voters elected her to serve as the country’s new president, and many feel hopeful for the changes to come with the governance of a woman and the implications it will have not only within Mexico but also in international relations. Sheinbaum will not only be the first female president in Mexico but also the first female president in all of North America, leaving many to wonder how this will affect her relationships with the U.S. and Canada, especially as the USMCA is up for review in two years. As we await her transition into office, we must be patient while Sheinbaum begins to work toward fulfilling her campaign promises.