Claudia Sheinbaum Makes History as First Woman and Jewish President of Mexico

Claudia Sheinbaum, a climate scientist and the former mayor of Mexico City, has made history by becoming the first woman elected as president of Mexico, winning Sunday’s election in a landslide.

Sheinbaum, 61, secured nearly 58 percent of the vote, according to preliminary results from the Mexican electoral office. This victory not only marks her as the first woman to lead the country but also the first Jewish person to preside over one of the world’s largest predominantly Catholic nations.

In her victory speech, Sheinbaum thanked voters for their support and highlighted the significance of the moment. “For the first time in 200 years of the Republic, I will become the first woman president of Mexico,” she told her supporters. She added, “We have achieved a plural, diverse, and democratic Mexico. Although many Mexicans do not fully agree with our project, we must walk in peace and harmony to continue building a fairer and more prosperous Mexico.”

Sheinbaum’s party, Morena, is projected to hold a majority in the legislature, which would enable her to pass constitutional changes that eluded the current President, Andrés Manuel López Obrador. López Obrador, a left-wing populist and close confidante of Sheinbaum, could not run for re-election after his six-year term.

This election was the largest in the history of Latin America’s second-largest economy, with around 130 million inhabitants. Over 20,000 political positions were up for grabs, including all seats in the lower house and the senate, as well as numerous regional and municipal offices.

Despite the heavy deployment of soldiers across the country to ensure a peaceful voting process, the day was marred by violence. A town council candidate was shot to death just hours before the election, and in another incident, a man was kidnapped while voting at a polling station.