Claudia Sheinbaum Elected Mexico's First Female President
Taiwo Ayandeyi
Claudia Sheinbaum was elected Mexico’s first woman president by a landslide Sunday, preliminary official results showed, making history in a country plagued by rampant criminal and gender-based violence.
In her first remarks after being confirmed as the winner, Sheinbaum vowed that she would not let Mexico down,
“I won’t fail you,” she said.
The 61-year-old former Mexico City mayor, a scientist by training, won around 58-60 percent of votes, the National Electoral Institute announced after a quick count.
That was more than 30 percentage points ahead of her main opposition rival Xochitl Galvez, and some 50 percentage points ahead of the only man running, long-shot centrist Jorge Alvarez Maynez.
Voters had flocked to polling stations across the Latin American nation, despite sporadic violence in areas terrorized by ultra-violent drug cartels.
Thousands of troops were deployed to protect voters, following a particularly bloody electoral process that has seen more than two dozen aspiring local politicians murdered.
Earlier, Sheinbaum hailed what she called a “historic” election day.
After casting her ballot, the presidential front-runner revealed she had not voted for herself but for a 93-year-old veteran leftist, Ifigenia Martinez, in recognition of her struggle.
“Long live democracy!” Sheinbaum declared.
Born to a Professor mother and a chemical engineer father, the 61-year-old leftist becomes Mexico's first President of Jewish descent.
Claudia holds a Doctorate degree in Energy, Sustainability and Environment Engineering. She was part of the U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change team that shared a Nobel Peace Prize with former U.S. Vice President Al Gore in 2007.
She is an avowed feminist, supporter of LGBT rights, gender and women equality. Claudia served as Environment Minister, then first female mayor under mentor and outgoing President, Lopez Obrador.
Under Mexican Constitution, she is to serve only a term of six years.
