The national vote came to a close on Sunday, potentially paving the way for Mexico’s first female president. However, the intensity, acts of violence, and deep divisions persisted right up until election day.
Despite the tragic incident of a town council candidate being shot to death by two hitmen aboard a motorcycle just hours before the election, the people of Cuitzeo, in the western state of Michoacán, demonstrated their resilience and commitment to democracy by turning out to vote in large numbers.
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Voting across the country remained peaceful, with no major disruptions reported. However, it seems that even if the front-runner, former Mexico City mayor Claudia Sheinbaum, emerges victorious, she may not experience the same unwavering support that outgoing President Andrés Manuel López Obrador has enjoyed. It’s worth noting that both Sheinbaum and López Obrador are affiliated with the governing Morena party.
In the main plaza of Mexico City, known as the Zocalo, Sheinbaum’s leadership initially did not receive the same enthusiastic reception that greeted López Obrador’s victory in 2018.
Fernando Fernández, a 28-year-old chef, eagerly joined the small gathering, filled with hope for a Sheinbaum victory. Despite the fact that only the initial vote counts were available, he was aware of the existing challenges.
Fernández expressed his support for Claudia, as he believes in her abilities and trusts in AMLO’s leadership. He hopes that Sheinbaum will address important issues that López Obrador was unable to tackle, such as the high price of gasoline, crime, and drug trafficking. Despite having the power to address these issues, AMLO fell short, and Fernández looks to Sheinbaum for improvement.
Itxel Robledo, a 28-year-old business administrator, was among the crowd. She expressed hope that Sheinbaum would fulfill what López Obrador couldn’t. “Claudia needs to ensure that professionals are appointed in every sector,” Robledo stated optimistically.
Yoselin Ramírez, 29, shared that she supported Sheinbaum in the election. However, she made a deliberate choice to cast her vote for different candidates in other positions. Yoselin wanted to ensure that no single individual or party held too much power in the city.
“I believe that it is important to avoid having one party dominate everything, as it would be more beneficial to have a sense of equality,” she stated without providing further details.
Nearly 100 million people were registered to vote, but it seems that the turnout was slightly lower compared to previous elections. In addition to electing governors in nine out of the country’s 32 states, voters were also selecting candidates for both houses of Congress, thousands of mayorships, and other local positions. These elections, which have been marred by incidents of violence, are the largest the nation has witnessed.
Both of the main candidates running for president in Mexico are women, and either one of them would make history by becoming the country’s first female president. Jorge Álvarez Máynez, the candidate from a smaller party, is significantly behind in the opinion polls.
Sheinbaum pledged to uphold all of López Obrador’s initiatives, including a comprehensive pension plan for senior citizens and a program that provides financial support to young apprentices.
Gálvez, whose father was Indigenous Otomi, went from selling snacks on the street in her impoverished hometown to establishing her own tech companies. As a candidate running with a coalition of major opposition parties, she stepped down from the Senate last year to direct her frustration towards López Obrador’s decision of avoiding direct confrontation with the drug cartels through his “hugs not bullets” policy. She vowed to take a more assertive approach in pursuing criminals.
Voters were primarily concerned about the ongoing violence caused by cartels and Mexico’s average economic performance.
Julio García, an office worker from Mexico City, expressed his support for the opposition in the central San Rafael neighborhood. In light of being robbed at gunpoint twice, the 34-year-old emphasized the need for a change in direction and leadership. He firmly believes that if things continue as they are, the country will end up like Venezuela.
In the neighborhood of San Andres Totoltepec, on the outskirts of Mexico City, a group of electoral officials made their way past Stephania Navarrete, a 34-year-old homemaker. With a curious gaze, she observed as dozens of cameramen and electoral officials gathered in anticipation of frontrunner Claudia Sheinbaum’s arrival to cast her vote.
Navarrete expressed her intention to vote for Sheinbaum despite her reservations about López Obrador and his political party.
According to her, the social programs implemented by Sheinbaum’s mentor played a crucial role. However, her main concern in this election was the increase in cartel violence over the past few years.
According to her, focusing more on security is crucial. She believes that the government’s promise to reduce crime levels did not materialize, as crime rates actually increased. While she does not entirely blame the president for this, she believes that he bears some responsibility for the situation.
Angelina Jiménez, a 76-year-old homemaker from Iztapalapa, expressed her motivation for voting as a means to bring an end to what she perceives as an inept government. Despite official claims of progress, she highlighted the ongoing death toll as evidence to the contrary.
The violence that is plaguing Mexico is a major concern for her, and as a result, she has made the decision to vote for Gálvez. She believes in Gálvez’s promise to tackle the cartels, and feels that it is necessary in order to address the worsening situation. According to her, López Obrador’s claim that things are getting better is simply not true; in fact, she believes that they are getting worse.
López Obrador asserts that he has managed to decrease the previously alarming homicide rates by 20% since assuming office in December 2018. However, this assertion is largely based on a debatable interpretation of statistics. In reality, the actual decline in the homicide rate seems to be around 4% over a span of six years.
The November rematch between U.S. President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump highlights the profound divisions within the United States. Similarly, Sunday’s election in Mexico has exposed the severe polarization of public opinion regarding the country’s direction, including its security strategy and economic growth.
The race for Mexico City mayor, which is now seen as equivalent to a governorship, holds significant importance beyond the battle for control of Congress. It is worth noting that Sheinbaum follows in the footsteps of several Mexico City mayors, including López Obrador, who eventually ran for president. In addition to this, governorships in populous states such as Veracruz and Jalisco are also attracting attention.
The polls in most parts of Mexico closed at 6 p.m., and the initial preliminary, partial results were not anticipated for a few hours.
