Mexico is holding its largest-ever election in June, including the election of a new president that will go down in history.
The winner of the June 2 presidential election could become the country's first female leader after Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador reaches term limits and the two major political parties fielded female candidates. It's almost certain.
Former Mexico City mayor and ruling party candidate Claudia Sheinbaum, also known as Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo, is the favorite to win the race, with her lead widening in local opinion polls, as reported by Reuters. There is.
Not only will she be Mexico's first female president, she will also be the first president of Jewish background.
Here's what else you need to know about the front-runners in Mexico's presidential election.
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Who is Claudia Sheinbaum?
Sheinbaum is the presidential candidate of the left-wing party National Renewal Movement (MORENA). Morena is from the current ruling party of President Andres Manuel López Obrador.
Mr. Sheinbaum, 61, served as Mexico City's mayor from December 2018 until he resigned to run for president.
She is of Jewish background, with four of her grandparents emigrating from Lithuania and Bulgaria, but she describes herself as a religious woman who does not adhere to any religion, according to the Associated Press. According to 2020 census data, 78% of Mexico's population is Roman Catholic.
Opinion polls show that Sheinbaum is closely followed by candidates Xocitl Galvez and Jorge Álvarez Maínez. If elected, he will serve a six-year term until 2030.
Left-wing candidate Claudia Sheinbaum wants to focus on renewable energy
Sheinbaum is an energy scientist with a PhD from the National Autonomous University of Mexico. She served on the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change as part of the team that won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2007.
She recently announced an ambitious plan to pledge $13.6 billion to wind and solar projects, according to Reuters. This would be a departure from the current president's policy of investing in state oil company Pemex, but Mr. Sheinbaum generally hopes to continue President López Obrador's legacy if elected.
“We are working on a national energy plan not just for 2030 but for 2050,” Sheinbaum said, according to Reuters.
Mexico and US seek new relationship after 2024 elections
The United States is likely headed for a rematch between former President Donald Trump and current President Joe Biden, and Mexico's next president will have to contend with an election taking place next door. But the choices of Mexican voters could also play a role in some important aspects of the U.S. election.
Immigration will be a major issue for many voters in the 2024 presidential election, not to mention the need for international coordination to address climate change and the conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza.
The rematch between Biden and Trump, who served as president during Mexico's current president, López Obrador, provides insight into how relations might continue if Morena remains in power through Mexico's presidential election.
The Associated Press described López Obrador's relationship with Trump as “strangely warm” in light of Trump's comments about building a wall on their common border. The Associated Press also said López Obrador has fewer public disagreements with Trump than with Biden.
However, Bloomberg reported that Sheinbaum said he would maintain a “good relationship” with the next U.S. president if elected, given their close economic ties.
Contributor: Cory Boudreau, El Paso Times.Reuters
