Alfredo Corchado and Christian Betancourt
MEXICO CITY – Sunday's presidential election held special meaning, especially for women across Mexico and the United States.
As Victoria Martinez stood in the middle of the square and took in the majestic view before her — Mexico's grand cathedral on one side, the National Palace in front — she missed her family, especially those who live in California and other parts of the United States.
“I wish they could have been witnesses to history,” said Victoria Martinez, selling corn from a stand she set up in the middle of Mexico's huge plaza, El Zocalo. “We all dreamed of one day seeing a woman lead a country.”
Mexicans on Sunday overwhelmingly elected Claudia Scheinbaum as the country's first female president, succeeding her mentor, outgoing populist leader Andrés Manuel López Obrador.
Sheinbaum's family fled the Holocaust and later found refuge in Mexico, where they began a new life. A former mayor of Mexico City, Sheinbaum, known as La Doctor, is a former university professor who studied energy engineering at the University of California, Berkeley, where he earned a master's degree, before returning to Mexico City and earning a doctorate at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM).
Fluent in English, Sheinbaum’s immigration story resonates across the border in Central California and Texas, where women traditionally play key roles in supporting their families and make sacrifices to provide opportunities for the next generation, particularly in California’s San Joaquin Valley, a largely agricultural region with thriving communities of Mexican citizens and their descendants.
For many, their lives straddle two countries, embracing the opportunities available in the United States while maintaining strong ties to their home countries.
Within this dynamic cultural tapestry, women have emerged as particularly influential leaders in roles such as health promoters advocating for the welfare of migrant and agricultural workers.
These leaders hope that the election of Mexico's first female president will bring about progress in gender equality and empowerment.
They acknowledged the challenges she may face as a pioneer in breaking down traditional gender barriers, but said it was a symbol of the potential for change and inclusivity in politics.
Anabel Serna oversees a team of 20 promoters in Merced County for the nonprofit Cultiva Central Valley.
Under her organization’s guidance, these women navigate the existing system and strive for a better life for themselves and their families.
“These are the women who are most involved in the change that's happening in the community,” she said. “They have a connection to Mexico and a desire to return to their country,” Serna said. “Having a woman president would have a very positive impact on the valley.”
Indeed, the prospect of Mexico having a female president has sparked hope and reflection among women like Valley Onward promoters Rosa Nuno and Antonia Sierra Martínez.
They grew up in Mexico in a political climate dominated by the PRI and PAN parties and immigrated to the United States in search of new opportunities.
Looking back on her childhood in Mexico marred by male chauvinism and gender inequality, Sierra Martinez expressed surprise that a female president could be elected in her lifetime.
“Traditionally, leadership and decision-making have been exclusively held by men,” she says, “but those barriers are slowly coming down as women move into other positions of power.”
Serna said having women in power would show Hispanic women that the status quo is changing and that women's contributions to society are becoming more recognized.
“For generations, men have dominated everything, especially the home,” she said. “The election results show that women have influence. This is a powerful thing for women.”
Serna said she hopes women's innate sensitivity to family, ethnic minorities, indigenous people and members of the LGBTQ+ community will lead to societal change that recognizes and accepts all members of society.
“As mothers, we believe that when women are in power, it can make a big difference,” she said. “It's exciting to see girls as young as 13 years old have such high hopes for the future. We know that historically women have been oppressed under a macho culture, but they are realizing that as women, they have power in politics, society, the economy and in family life.”
With a female president in power, Sierra Martinez said several questions have arisen, including what factors have enabled two women to rise to the forefront of the presidential race.
“I don't really know how it happened, but this sets the standard that a woman can lead a country,” she said.
Sierra Martinez said having a woman as president would bring about very positive change in Silicon Valley due to women's innate qualities such as intelligence, love, protection, emotional connection and advisory.
“There is some anxiety about being the first woman to lead the country,” she said. “No woman will have any doubts. When we see women stepping up and succeeding, it sets a standard for others to follow and we can do that in our country.”
For Sierra Martinez, the most important impact of the elections is the promotion of gender equality in a country often seen as patriarchal.
“This opens the door for us to broaden our horizons and reach greater heights,” she said. “I hope she will be able to use her feminine common sense, charisma and emotional maturity in the right way to run the country and build consensus.”
The only thing Sierra Martinez fears is that as the first female president, she will feel immense pioneering pressure that could affect other women if not handled properly.
“She needs to take advantage of this opportunity and not let anyone down, especially the women back home,” she said. “For us U.S. women, there is an emotional connection here. Our hearts are still in Mexico.”
Nuno is excited about having a female president and said women's potential can be harnessed for bigger projects where they can use their hearts and empathize, without fearing that their emotions will take over and cause difficulties.
“As long as you're not being too feminist, it can be motivating,” she says. “Women can be in power, but we also need men and women working together in the cabinet to achieve true equality.”
Back at the Zócalo, Leticia Presa Herrera was munching on corn in her Sunday finery. As the sun went down, a giant Mexican flag waved in the breeze. Two children flew kites as their mothers looked on.
As Presa Herrera spoke about the violence that has plagued Mexico for decades, particularly attacks against women, she took in the moment and took a deep breath.
“For the first time, a woman has the most power here,” said Herrera, who cleans the house and does other chores. “I want her to move the country forward, not sink it further.”
Alfredo Corchado, editor-in-chief and correspondent for the Puente News Collaborative, reported from Mexico.
Christian Betancourt reported from the San Joaquin Valley.
KTEP 88.5 Public Radio News Director Angela Kocherga contributed to this report.
