Claudia Sheinbaum Makes History as First Woman Elected to Lead Mexico
City
Claudia Sheinbaum, a 56-year-old engineer and former head of the city’s environmental department, won the election for mayor of Mexico City on Sunday, making her the first woman to lead the capital in its 230-year history.
Sheinbaum, who ran as a candidate for the leftist Morena party, won 54 percent of the vote, according to preliminary results. Her closest competitor, the conservative businessman and former mayor of the city, Marcelo Ebrard, won 39 percent.
Sheinbaum’s victory is a significant milestone for women in Mexico, where women have long been underrepresented in politics. She will take office on Dec. 1, replacing the current mayor, Miguel Ángel Mancera, who is also from the Morena party.
Sheinbaum’s campaign focused on issues such as reducing air pollution, improving public transportation, and addressing the city’s growing inequality. She has also pledged to increase funding for education and healthcare, and to create more affordable housing.
Sheinbaum’s victory is also a significant win for the Morena party, which was founded by President Andrés Manuel López Obrador in 2014. The party has made significant gains in recent elections, and Sheinbaum’s victory in Mexico City is likely to further bolster its standing.
Sheinbaum’s victory is also a rebuke to the conservative National Action Party (PAN), which has governed Mexico City for much of the past 25 years. The PAN’s candidate, Marcelo Ebrard, was the city’s mayor from 2006 to 2012, but he was unable to reclaim the office this time around.
Sheinbaum’s victory is also a significant moment for women in politics in Mexico, where women have long been underrepresented in politics. She will be the first woman to lead Mexico City, and her victory is likely to inspire other women to run for office in the future.