Media outlets are reporting that Claudia Sheinbaum of the leftist MORENA party is poised to secure victory in Mexico’s presidential election, potentially becoming the country’s first woman president. According to Reuters, the polls closed on Sunday, indicating Claudia Sheinbaum’s path to victory. While exact figures were not provided, exit polls from television outlet NMAS and newspaper El Financiero indicated Claudia Sheinbaum’s lead.
Pollster Parametria also projected Claudia Sheinbaum to command a significant 56 percent of the vote, with four additional exit polls aligning with this prediction, as reported by Reuters.
Mario Delgado, the head of the MORENA party, announced to supporters in Mexico City that Claudia Sheinbaum had won by a “very large” margin. Her primary contender, Xochitl Galvez of the conservative PAN party, represented a coalition of opposition parties.
The third candidate, Jorge Alvarez Maynez, representing the centre-left Citizens’ Movement, is noted as the youngest contender in the race, according to CNN.
Whoever clinches victory in the election will face the challenge of addressing organized crime violence. Reuters reports that during the tenure of outgoing President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, Mexico has witnessed a surge in homicides compared to any other presidency in its modern history, although the homicide rate has shown signs of decline over his term.
Claudia Sheinbaum’s potential victory would mark a significant milestone for Mexico, known for its macho culture, according to Reuters. The elected president will commence their term on October 1.
Dubbed as one of the “bloodiest” elections in Mexico’s history, the race saw the deaths of 38 candidates, as reported by CNN. The violence has sparked concerns about the impact of warring drug cartels on the country’s democracy. Tragically, two people were killed at polling stations in Puebla state on Sunday.
“The country is flooded with blood as a result of so much corruption,” said Rosa Maria Baltazar, 69, a voter from Mexico City’s upper-middle-class Del Valle neighborhood, as quoted by CBC. “I wish for a change of government for my country, something for a better life,” she added.
