By Indira Zaldivar & Edward Saenz
Claudia Sheinbaum made history on Tuesday as Mexico’s first female president, as well as the first president of Jewish heritage. A former mayor of Mexico City and a climate scientist with a PhD in energy engineering, Sheinbaum’s victory marked a significant shift in Mexican politics.
“Honorable congress of the union and people of Mexico, I promise to keep … the political constitution of the United States of Mexico and…laws. and perform loyally and patriotically the office of president of the republic” Sheinbaum said in Spanish during her swear-in ceremony.
She won the June 2 election with nearly 60% of the vote, defeating Xóchitl Gálvez and Jorge Álvarez Máynez. A member of the leftist Morena party, Sheinbaum is expected to follow in the footsteps of her predecessor, President Andrés Manuel López Obrador.
Her inauguration took place at Mexico City’s Legislative Palace of San Lázaro, where over 100 notable figures, including U.S. First Lady Jill Biden, attended. As she begins her six-year term, Sheinbaum faces major challenges, including escalating violence, economic struggles, and tensions with the U.S. over judicial reforms. According to Time, these reforms are feared to “undermine democratic checks and balances.”
Notably, Sheinbaum’s presidency comes 70 years after Mexican women gained the right to vote. Despite gender equality strides—such as the 50-50 gender split in Congress since 2018—violence against women remains a significant issue.
Sheinbaum joins the ranks of other prominent female leaders worldwide, including Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and India’s President Droupadi Murmu.
