4 de junio 2024
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The governing party candidate, Claudia Sheinbaum, expressed her gratitude early Monday morning, June 3, 2024 because “she will become the first woman president of Mexico”, while projecting to win the majority needed to reform the Constitution in Congress after the quick count of the National Electoral Institute (INE).
“I am also grateful because, for the first time in 200 years of the Republic, I will become the first woman president of Mexico. And, as I have said on other occasions, I am not arriving alone; we are all arriving together with our heroines who gave us a nation, with our ancestors,” she said in her message in Mexico City.
These were Sheinbaum’s first statements after the National Electoral Institute (INE) quick count showing her far ahead. Now, with 95.2% of the votes tallied, Sheinbaum has 59.4%, Xochitl Galvez 27.9% and Jorge Alvarez 10.4%. Turnout was 60.9% according to INE
Projects Parliamentary Majority
Additionally, the candidate predicted that her coalition of the National Regeneration Movement (Morena), with the Labor Party, and the Green Ecologist Party of Mexico would achieve the qualified majority, two-thirds of the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate, enabling them to reform the Constitution without negotiating with the opposition.
With this, she projected to push forward the policies of the current president, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador.
“I want to thank millions of Mexican men and women who decided to vote for us in this historic election to advance with the fourth transformation of public life in our country,” she said.
Sheinbaum, former head of government of Mexico City (2018-2023), based her campaign on promising continuity to Lopez Obrador’s projects, while Galvez’s opposition alliance accused her of representing “authoritarianism.”
Claudia Sheinbaum’s Promises and Projects
Among the constitutional reforms proposed by Lopez Obrador are the militarization of the National Guard, a modification to the electoral system, and the election of judges and members of the Supreme Court by popular vote.
However, the candidate stated that she envisions “a plural, diverse, and democratic Mexico” where “dissent is part of democracy.”
“And although the majority of the people supported our project, our duty is and will always be to look out for each and every Mexican without distinction,” she asserted.
She also promised “to guarantee the freedoms of expression, press, assembly, concentration, and mobilization.”
“We are democrats and by conviction would never make an authoritarian or repressive government. We will also respect political, social, cultural, and religious diversity, as well as gender and sexual diversity,” she said.
Additionally, she committed to a government “honest, without influence peddling, without corruption, or impunity, a government with austerity, financial and fiscal discipline, and the autonomy of the Bank of Mexico.”
On Sunday, Mexico held its largest election in history with more than 98 million people called to renew over 20,000 positions, including the presidency, the 500 deputies, the 128 senators, and nine state governments. INE said participation was 60.9% of the eligible voters.
The electoral campaign for these elections has also been the most violent in Mexico’s history, with at least 30 candidates murdered in the different Mexican states.
Triumphant Night for Lopez Obrador’s Movement
Claudia Sheinbaum’s victory exceeded even the opinion poll predictions, which averaged 55% preference for Sheinbaum, 33% for Galvez, and 12% for Alvarez, according to the aggregate of surveys collected by Oraculus.
“Above all, it is the recognition of the people of Mexico for our transformation project,” Sheinbaum declared in her first message after the results
Lopez Obrador, for his part, called it “a day of glory because the people of Mexico decided freely and democratically that Claudia Sheinbaum should become the first woman president.”
“She will be the first female president of Mexico in 200 years, since 1824, but also possibly the president with the most votes in our country’s history,” the president said in a video message.
A Majority to Reform the Constitution
Sheinbaum not only received the keys to the National Palace, but her coalition of the National Regeneration Movement (Morena), the Labor Party (PT), and the Green Ecologist Party of Mexico (PVEM) won a two-thirds majority in the Chamber of Deputies and possibly the Senate which would enable them to reform the Constitution.
With this, the next president could push for constitutional changes proposed by Lopez Obrador, such as the militarization of the National Guard, an electoral system reform, and the election of judges and Supreme Court members by popular vote.
The official party also retained its main political stronghold, Mexico City, where Clara Brugada had a nearly 10-point lead over opposition candidate Santiago Taboada, despite polls predicting a closer race.
Mario Delgado, the leader of Morena, also envisioned victory in the other eight state governments up for election.
“Full Sweep” in Mexican Elections
“We are achieving a full sweep in these elections,” declared the party leader.
From not governing any state before the 2018 election, Morena now controls 21 entities, plus two more from its allies, the PVEM in San Luis Potosí and the Social Encounter Party (PES) in Morelos.
Despite an initially defiant attitude in which she claimed the votes were “hidden,” Xochitl Galvez acknowledged Sheinbaum’s victory, although she warned that she would “demand” results.
“I want to emphasize that my recognition comes with a firm demand for results and solutions to the country’s major problems and the essential respect for the constitution and democratic institutions,” said Galvez, representative of the Fuerza y Corazon por Mexico coalition.
This article was published in Spanish in Confidencial and translated by Havana Times. To get the most relevant news from our English coverage delivered straight to your inbox, subscribe to The Dispatch.
