Claudia Sheinbaum has made history by becoming the first woman elected as president of Mexico, according to projections from the nation’s official quick count.
Sheinbaum secured between 58.3% and 60.7% of the vote, based on a statistical sample used for the quick count. The announcement was made early Monday morning by Guadalupe Taddei Zavala from Mexico’s National Electoral Institute, who stated that the results are 95% reliable.
Addressing her supporters, Sheinbaum declared, “For the first time in 200 years of our republic, I will be the first woman president… but as I’ve mentioned before, I did not achieve this alone. We did it together, with the heroines who gave us our homeland, with our mothers, our daughters, and our granddaughters.”
Sheinbaum pledged to uphold the freedom of expression and protest, and to foster a “diverse and democratic” Mexico. She also committed to respecting industries, the free market, the environment, and “nations’ self-determination.”
Outgoing President Andrés Manuel López Obrador celebrated Sheinbaum’s historic victory in a video released early Monday. “I congratulate Claudia Sheinbaum, who emerged victorious by a wide margin. She will be the first female president of Mexico in 200 years,” he said.
“The president [Sheinbaum] likely received the most votes in our country’s history,” he added.
The former mayor of Mexico City will begin her six-year term on October 1.
Sheinbaum, 61, is a physicist and climate scientist and will be the first Mexican president of Jewish heritage.
As a member of the governing Morena party, she will play a crucial role in addressing issues of importance to the U.S., such as immigration and foreign relations, as well as shaping the future of the trade agreement that has made Mexico the United States’ largest trading partner.
Mexico’s National Electoral Institute projected a voter turnout of around 60%, according to the quick count, said Taddei Zavala.
The election was overshadowed by reports of violence at some polling stations.
Querétaro State Police reported on X Sunday night that 19 individuals were arrested “for causing damage to ballot boxes at polling stations to disrupt the election process, and for distributing handouts.” A weapon was also confiscated at the scene, according to the police.
