The Mexicans have made their choice: Claudia Sheinbaum will become the first woman to govern the country. The candidate from Morena, the outgoing president’s party, obtained a clear victory with 60% of the votes, far ahead of her rival, Xóchitl Gálvez, who had 28.6% of the votes, according to the National Electoral Institute (INE). Far behind, the third candidate, Jorge Álvarez Máynez, received around 10% of the votes.
After rejoicing at her 30 percentage point lead over her rival, Claudia Sheinbaum recalled the historic nature of this election. “I am also grateful because for the first time in 200 years of the Republic, I will become the first woman president of Mexico,” she declared, in front of an audience of supporters and media, in a hotel not far from the Zocalo, in Mexico City.
But she wanted to point out that she didn’t get there alone. “We all got there. With our heroines who gave us our homeland, our ancestors, our mothers, our daughters and our granddaughters.”
Some 98 million voters will have chosen continuity, favoring the one that everyone calls “the doctora Claudia”, the protégé of President Andrés Manuel López Obrador. In absolute figures, the new president would have even obtained more votes than her predecessor. She would also obtain a qualified majority in Congress and probably in the Senate.
In a very sober, lackluster speech, Claudia Sheinbaum also congratulated the Mexicans who went to vote in large numbers. “Thanks to your participation, we have demonstrated that Mexico is a democratic country with peaceful and very participatory elections. » She also thanked Xóchitl Gálvez, her main rival, who called her and conceded victory, and praised the third candidate, Jorge Álvarez Máynez of the Citizens’ Movement, for his participation.
First female president of North America
“Claudia Sheinbaum will become the first female president in our history and in North America,” Morena party president Mario Delgado declared earlier in the evening, about an hour after the polls closed. “Claudia Sheinbaum’s triumph is beyond doubt! », he added, speaking of the exit polls which gave the candidate of Morena a great advantage over the candidate of PRIANRD, the alliance of the three parties which supported the center-right candidate, Xóchitl Gálvez .
Although Morena (National Regeneration Movement), which formed an alliance with the Labor Party and the Greens, announced the victory of its candidate very early on, the new president was delayed. She only appeared to the press around midnight, when the media were getting impatient and even the TV commentators who no longer knew how to fill the time. This is because Claudia Sheinbaum’s team was waiting for confirmation from the INE before truly declaring victory.
At the Zócalo, the stronghold in the heart of the city, the mariachis who had exhausted their repertoire finally gave way when the new president introduced herself to the thousands of Mexicans who had come to experience this historic moment. “It’s happiness,” rejoiced Ester, who confided having run away from work to go celebrate. “We’ve been waiting for this for so long. »
Further on, under a concert of horns and shouts from the jubilant crowd, a group of women dressed in Morena t-shirts and caps were talking on cloud nine. “My emotion… It’s pride and joy! » launched Paulina Granados. “Besides, Claudia is prepared. She knows how to talk to people and she has a lot of experience. »
The inhabitants of Mexico City, the capital, which has state status, also had to choose a head of government. Very soon after the closing of the polls, the two candidates Clara Brugada, from Morena, and Santiago Taobada, from Vamos X Mexico, both declared themselves winners, the first by more than 15 points over his opponent who, claimed to be winning by 5 points. It was ultimately Clara Brugada, also from the Morena Party, who won.
“We feel a lot of pride”
Met on Sunday, June 2 in the morning in various polling stations in Mexico City, voters did not hide their joy at finally making history, noted The duty in the field.
“We are very moved,” said Cristina Navarrete, apologizing for her hoarse voice because she “yelled too much”. In her tenth presidential election, the 76-year-old lady, who voted Sunday morning in her constituency, the same as Claudia Sheinbaum, in the south of Mexico, is delighted to see that women, who have always been behind men, are making a not to now be side by side with them. “And we can even say that we will pass in front of them! » she said laughing, taking a step forward.
“When my mother was born, women didn’t exist. We didn’t even have the right to vote. It happened in 1953,” said M’s daughter.me Navarrete, Elizabeth Sosa, history student. “That’s why we’re so happy. » The young woman says she comes from a politicized family which is delighted with the shift given to the left in the last term when Andrés Manuel López Obrador, a long-time aspirant to power, was finally elected. “The right-wing candidate has a very popular speech to get closer to people and she promises things, but she is not as prepared. It represents an alliance of parties that have a corrupt past. We don’t believe it. »
Behind, the small narrow street where the neighborhood voters had come to queue quickly took on the appearance of a procession, hundreds of media outlets – more than 630 were accredited to cover the Morena candidate – massing around Claudia Sheinbaum, who had come she too to vote. “ Pre-si-denta! Pre-si-denta! » chanted the crowd. “We’re happy that you’re in line like everyone else! » shouted a lady.
Briefly addressing the crowd, Claudia Sheinbaum confided that she had not voted for herself in the presidential election, but for a pioneer of the Mexican left, Ifigenia Martinez, 93, in tribute to her struggle. “Long live democracy! » she said.
Opposition candidates will vote
For her part, candidate Xóchitl Gálvez also waited a long time in line under the blazing sun to vote. “I am very optimistic,” declared the opposition candidate. The former center-right senator declared during the campaign that she was banking on a “hidden vote” in her favor, which would have escaped the polls.
Throughout his campaign, Xóchitl Gálvez, who has indigenous origins, continued to denounce the failure of the security policy of the outgoing government, speaking of “186,000 people murdered and 50,000 people missing” since 2018.
The third candidate, Jorge Álvarez Máynez, 38, brought his young son into the voting booth for a civics lesson. “It’s an imperfect democracy. […]but we have moved forward as a country,” said the Citizen Movement (MC) representative after voting.
A woman will be more “sensitive”
Several polling stations opened late, after 8 a.m., in several places across the country, according to testimonies reported by Milenio TV. In the capital, it was very easy to spot the polling stations with the endless lines of voters stretching out on the sidewalk.
In Colonia Coyoacán, very close to the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), two polling stations faced each other on either side of a narrow street. Here, the vote rumors are in favor of Claudia Sheinbaum, and her party, Morena. “I think Sheinbaum will win,” said Jenifer, under an umbrella. “And I think she’s going to be better than the president,” she added with a smile.
Next to her, her friend Verónica believes that a woman in power will show more sensitivity and that there will be more changes. “We must put an end to delinquency! » she emphasized. “We need more security for us women! »
According to United Nations data, around ten feminicides occur every day. They occur mainly around the capital and in the northern states of the country, plagued by organized crime.
It was possible for Mexicans to vote for an unregistered person by simply writing their name in a box. Several voters chose to register the names of missing or murdered people, and posted a photo of their ballot on social networks.
Cartel violence
The fight against the violence of cartels, gangs and gangs will be the first challenge for the future president, according to Michael Shifter, researcher at the Diálogo Interamericano analysis center, headquartered in Washington.
In total, some 450,000 people have been murdered since 2006, when former President Felipe Calderon sent the army against the cartels.
Mme Sheinbaum had promised to continue the current policy, which consists of attacking the causes of violence rather than relying on repression, while fighting against “impunity”. As for her, Mme Gálvez had declared that she wanted to put an end to the “accompaniments” to the cartels.
Several positions to be renewed
Voters were also called upon to renew Congress and the Senate, to choose governors in 9 of the 32 states and to appoint local deputies and mayors. In total, 20,000 positions were to be filled during these one-round elections.
Almost everywhere in the country, in the two days preceding the elections, businesses were not allowed to sell alcohol, as prohibited by the “dry law”. Some restaurants allow customers to have a drink, if it is accompanied by a meal.
With Agence France-Presse
