All Mexican Presidential Candidates Confirmed Female... "Glass Ceiling May Break Before the US" (Summary)

Both Parties Confirm Female Candidates Ahead of Next June's Presidential Election
First Female President Expected Since the Establishment of the Federation in 1824

As Mexico prepares for its presidential election in June next year, the world is paying close attention to the possibility of the country's first female president in 200 years since the establishment of the federal government. Expectations are rising as both the ruling and opposition parties in Mexico, a Latin American country known for its strong male chauvinism, are likely to field female candidates.

Opposition presidential candidate Senator Xochitl Galvez of Mexico (left in the photo) and ruling party presidential candidate Claudia Sheinbaum, former mayor of Mexico City Photo by Reuters Yonhap News

Female Power Shaking Mexico... Breaking the Glass Ceiling Before the U.S.

According to the Associated Press (AP) and other sources on the 6th (local time), the ruling party Movimiento Regeneraci?n Nacional (National Regeneration Movement) announced that Claudia Sheinbaum (61), former mayor of Mexico City, ranked first in a poll conducted as a primary to select the presidential candidate. Based on this poll result, Sheinbaum will be officially nominated as the candidate after becoming the '4th Transformation (4T) Chairperson' and going through the party convention.

After the poll results were announced, Sheinbaum wore purple and stood at the podium for a press conference, declaring, "Today, the people of Mexico have decided," and "We will win in 2024." Supporters shouted "President" in support of Sheinbaum.

Meanwhile, the opposition party has already selected and confirmed a female candidate. The right-wing opposition coalition Frente Amplio (Broad Front) confirmed Senator Socorro Galvez (60) as their unified presidential candidate on the 31st of last month. The Broad Front is a coalition of three parties including the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI), which dominated Mexican politics for over 40 years until 2000, along with the National Action Party (PAN) and the Party of the Democratic Revolution (PRD).

With still 10 months remaining before the Mexican presidential election, the spotlight is on the fact that both leading candidates are women. Since the constitution establishing the federal government in 1824, Mexico has never had a female president in 200 years.

Ruling party presidential candidate Claudia Sheinbaum, former mayor of Mexico City, is celebrating at a press conference after ranking first in a public opinion poll conducted on the 6th (local time) as a primary election concept for selecting the presidential candidate.
[Image source=AFP Yonhap News]

Above all, Mexico is known as a country of 'machismo culture (El Machismo),' where male chauvinism is particularly strong even among Latin American countries. While countries like New Zealand recognized women's suffrage from the 1890s, Mexico only granted women the right to vote in 1953. Furthermore, it was not until 2019 that constitutional amendments introduced gender equality elements, reflecting the slow progress in securing women's social rights.

However, in recent years, female power in Mexico has been growing stronger. According to The Washington Post (WP), Mexico's Supreme Court Chief Justice is a woman, and since 2021, half of the Mexican legislature has been composed of women. WP noted, "Mexican female politicians are breaking the glass ceiling faster than neighboring countries," emphasizing the significance of Mexico potentially having its first female president before the United States.

Nonetheless, some observers believe that even if the first female president emerges, it will be difficult to fundamentally change the male-dominated political culture. Barbara Gonzalez, a Mexican political analyst, said, "We do have female candidates, but parties, resources, and agendas led by men continue to prevail." In response, others argue that cultural change cannot happen overnight but will occur gradually.

Common Background in Science and Engineering... Jewish vs. Indigenous Origins

Besides being women, both former Mayor Sheinbaum and Senator Galvez share a background in science and engineering.

Sheinbaum, who holds a Ph.D. in energy engineering, has authored books and papers on energy, environment, and sustainable development. She participated in the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), which won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2007, and was named one of the BBC's 100 Women in 2018.

[Image source=AFP Yonhap News]

Senator Galvez, an engineer with a degree in computer science, founded two technology companies related to smart infrastructure systems before entering politics. Using the profits from her companies, she established a foundation to combat child malnutrition and support the economic independence of indigenous women, gaining nationwide attention.

While Sheinbaum and Galvez share many similarities as women with STEM backgrounds, they differ in their upbringing and political experience.

Sheinbaum grew up in a middle-class Jewish family established by her grandparents who fled Bulgaria to Mexico to escape the Holocaust. Influenced by her father, a chemical engineer, and her mother, a biologist, Sheinbaum earned a Ph.D. in energy engineering, and her younger brother became a physicist. The entire family is composed of scientists.

Galvez was born into a poor indigenous Mexican family and is known to have made and sold tamales, a traditional Mexican food, on the streets to support her family during childhood. Her father was a teacher at an indigenous school but was also an abusive alcoholic, according to AP. Galvez often uses indigenous languages and frequently wears the traditional garment called huipil, worn by rural women at work, enhancing her relatable image.

Sheinbaum has more political experience than Galvez. She began her political career in 2000 by joining the cabinet of then Mexico City Mayor Andr?s Manuel L?pez Obrador, currently the president, where she was responsible for environmental issues. Galvez started her political career in 2015 when she was elected mayor of Miguel Hidalgo.

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

Sheinbaum was elected in 2018 as the first female and first Jewish mayor of Mexico City, while Galvez ran in the 2018 federal election for the Mexico City Senate primary but lost and later became a senator through proportional representation.

Foreign media expect crime issues to become a major topic as the presidential campaign intensifies. Recent incidents such as gang kidnappings of public officials, police car bombings, and arson attacks on mayors have significantly increased the proportion of Mexicans who perceive security as a serious problem.

Currently, in hypothetical head-to-head matchups between Sheinbaum and Galvez, Sheinbaum leads. The British magazine The Economist cited local polls indicating that if the election were held now, Sheinbaum would defeat Galvez by 44% to 27%. Support for Sheinbaum is attributed to the popularity of current President L?pez Obrador, which benefits his party, Movimiento Regeneraci?n Nacional.

The Mexican president serves a single six-year term with no possibility of re-election.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.