Mexico City: On Sunday, Mexicans voted in a presidential election dominated by two women, the first time such a situation has occurred in a country characterized by gender-based violence and discrimination.
As the election neared, Sheinbaum’s main competitor Xochitl Galvez, an entrepreneur in technology with other opposition parties as part of her ticket, had fallen 17 points behind. Jorge Alvarez Maynez was the only male candidate running but he was far behind in third position. This ends what has been one of the most violent campaign seasons ever experienced with many candidate murders being reported. This makes it probable that unless there is some major upset, Mexico will have its first woman president since ten women or girls are killed daily.
The contest reveals how much progress has been made by women in Mexico’s politics over recent years when they were not even allowed to vote until 1953. Both top candidates have hands-on experience: one governed one of hemisphere’s biggest cities while another served as senator.
However, much attention during this race has focused on someone who is absent from the ballot but wields immense power: the current prez Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador. Although widely admired, his tenure saw him divide public opinion between those who idolized him and others who loathed him for what he symbolized. The policies adopted by his regime included doubling minimum wages while using financial aid programs to lift millions out of poverty; however, this also gave more powers to military while taking steps that many regarded as undermining democratic institutions.
This obliterated conventional politics and led to three political parties on right, centre and left joining together uneasily now backing Galvez. Through promising continuity with his leadership legacy Sheinbaum attracts voters mostly. Also vowing to set back many things policy-wise under Lopez Obrador is Galvez whose alternative image is shaped through this lens.
Whoever wins will face daunting challenges: The economy which performs poorly added to ongoing cartel violence are the main reasons for this. The elections have registered nearly 100 million people and voters will also be electing governors in nine out of 32 states. Additionally, these general elections will also decide on both houses of Congress, thousands of mayoral contests and other local offices making it the biggest election so far.
