Mexico Gets First Female President in 200 Years

Claudia Sheinbaum, 61, has been elected Mexico’s first female leader after winning more than 58% vote in Sunday’s presidential election.

The former Mexico City Mayor, a scientist, leftist politician, and ruling party’s flagbearer, benefited from the popularity of outgoing President Andrés Manuel López Obrador.

They are different personalities but share many ideas about the government’s role in tackling inequality, with Sheinbaum seen as less combative and more science-savvy.

With a PhD in energy engineering, Sheinbaum makes no secret of her belief in science, which she demonstrated during the COVID-19 pandemic when Mexico City of some nine million people, used a different strategy from the national level to achieve more positive outcomes.

While the federal government under President López Obrador tended to downplay the role of testing as a major step in curbing the spread of the virus, Mexico City under Sheinbaum as Major, emphasised it. She also led by example, wearing protective masks and urging social distancing among other measures to beat the virus.

Sheinbaum will be the first person from a Jewish background to lead Mexico, which is predominantly Catholic.

Unlike López Obrador, Sheinbaum is expected to be less combative in her dealings with other arms of government and the media.

When she assumes office on 1^st October, her major challenges will include, how to address, Mexico’s perennial violence and insecurity challenges.

She campaigned on the message of continuity with a promise, to strengthen the country’s quasi-military National Guard established by the López Obrador administration.

She also plans to continue with the outgoing regime’s strategy of targeting social ills and ridding the country of criminal gangs, that recruit young Mexicans.

“We will promote a strategy of addressing the causes (of crimes) and continue moving toward zero impunity,” said the president-elect.

While lauding López Obrador for his achievements, Sheinbaum does not have kind words for “neoliberal economic policies for condemning millions” of Mexicans to poverty. She promised to run a strong welfare State and, in praising Mexico’s large state-owned oil company, Pemex, she also promised, to prioritise clean energy.

Mexico, in South America with an estimated 130 million people, gained independence from the Spanish Crown more than 200 years ago. ##