Claudia Sheinbaum's name will go down in the Mexican's history. The Nobel Prize-winning climate scientist became Mexico's first female president after sweeping the election.
Sheinbaum (61), of the ruling MORENA party, won by securing votes between 58.3 per cent and 60.7 per cent. It is the most support won by a candidate in the Mexican presidential election since the end of one-party rule in 2000.
"We made history," said Sheinbaum on Monday while cheering with the crowd gathered in the Zocalo square. She said she will be continuing the work of her mentor and outgoing leader Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador. He is "an exceptional, unique man who has transformed Mexico for the better," she said.
Reportedly, Opposition leader, Xochitl Galvez, conceded defeat after mustering just 26.6%-28.6% of votes.
Sheinbaum will take office on October 1. With the historic victory, Mexico now joins Latin American counterparts including Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and Costa Rica, which have boosted women to the highest office.
The way ahead
Sheinbaum's way ahead is not going to be a smooth one with a hefty budget deficit and low economic growth. She has promised that she will focus on expanding the welfare policies and improving security in the violence-hit country. Though the homicide rate in the country had come down, more people died during the mandate of Lopez Obrador than any other administration in Mexico's modern history.
According to analysts, she needs to come up with a game-changing formula in order to improve security and policies.
In Mexico, key institutions, such as the Senate, the Supreme Court and the National Electoral Institute are led by women.
Some of the key issues, the new president will face is gender-related issues. Many Mexican women disappear or are killed on a daily basis.
According to the UN, up to 10 women are victims of femicide each day in Mexico. The number totalled 3,000 in 2023.
Thousands more have disappeared and in many cases, mothers are felt abandoned by the government.
Due to an existing inefficient justice system, most femicides go unpunished. According to the National Institute of Statistics and Geography, more than 40% of Mexican women who are 15 years old or older say they have been victims of some sort of violence in their lives.
Sheinbaum had assured to adopt measures against gender-based violence including the creation of an anti-femicide prosecutor's office and legislation that would force offenders to leave their homes.
The gender employment gap is another issue that she will need to address. According to official figures, 76% of Mexican men and only 47% of women are employed. Women have been demanding equal rights and it remains to see whether the new president will adopt measures to improve the same.