Claudia Sheinbaum was elected Mexico’s first female president by a landslide on Sunday, marking history in a country beset by widespread criminal and gender-based violence.
Flag-waving fans chanted and danced to mariachi music in Mexico City’s main square to celebrate the governing party candidate’s victory.
“I want to thank millions of Mexican women and men who decided to vote for us on this historic day,” Sheinbaum addressed the gathering.
“I won’t fail you,” the 61-year-old former mayor of Mexico City promised.
She thanked her major opponent, Xochitl Galvez, who surrendered defeat.
Sheinbaum, a physicist by training, received between 58-60% of the votes, according to early official findings from the National Electoral Institute, which projected turnout at 60%.
That was more than 30 percentage points ahead of Galvez and over 50 points ahead of the only other candidate, long-shot centrist Jorge Alvarez Maynez.
Voters rushed to voting centres around the Latin American country, amid intermittent bloodshed in areas terrorised by ultra-violent drug cartels.
Thousands of troops were sent to safeguard voters during a particularly deadly electoral process that saw more than two dozen ambitious local leaders assassinated.
“Our society is violent, sexist, and misogynistic, and Dr. Sheinbaum as president will really be able to help change not only the laws but also society,” said Lol-Kin Castaneda, 48, who stayed late into the night to hear the victor speak.
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cc: Vanguard Ng
