Mexico Elects Claudia Sheinbaum, Its First Woman and First Jewish President

Claudia Sheinbaum has made history, becoming the first woman and first Jewish person elected as president of Mexico. Sheinbaum is a climate scientist and the former mayor of Mexico City. She is a close ally of Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, who has been credited with lifting millions of Mexicans out of poverty. Preliminary results show Sheinbaum received at least 58% of the vote, easily defeating her closest rival, Xóchitl Gálvez. Sheinbaum addressed supporters in Mexico City. President-elect Claudia Sheinbaum: “I didn’t get here on my own. We, women, all got here together. Our female heroes who created the nation, our female ancestors, our mothers, our daughters, our grandmothers, I congratulate all the Mexicans that, by participating in the election, demonstrated that Mexico is a democratic country with peaceful elections.” Mexico’s election was marred by violence. At least 38 candidates were assassinated during the campaign. In the western state of Michoacán, a candidate for mayor in the town of Cuitzeo, Israel Delgado Vega, was shot dead just hours before voting began.