Claudia Sheinbaum has made history by being elected as Mexico’s first female president, securing a landslide victory in Sunday’s election.

Preliminary results from Mexico’s official electoral authority indicate that the 61-year-old former mayor of Mexico City garnered between 58% and 60% of the vote, leading by approximately 30 percentage points over her main rival, businesswoman Xóchitl Gálvez.

Sheinbaum will take office on October 1, succeeding her mentor, outgoing President Andrés Manuel López Obrador. In her victory speech, Sheinbaum pledged continuity with López Obrador’s policies, particularly his popular welfare programs. She highlighted the significance of her win, stating, “For the first time in the 200 years of the [Mexican] Republic, I will become the first woman president of Mexico.” She emphasized that this achievement was for all women, saying, “I’ve said it from the start, this is not just about me getting [to the top office], it’s about all of us getting here.” She assured her supporters, “I won’t fail you.”

Sheinbaum also extended her gratitude to her rival, Xóchitl Gálvez, who conceded defeat gracefully.

Before her presidential run, Sheinbaum served as mayor of Mexico City, one of the most powerful political roles in the country. Her career prior to politics was marked by significant contributions to science; she holds a doctorate in energy engineering and has expertise in climate change, having worked at a renowned research lab in California.

Sheinbaum’s personal history is also notable. Her Jewish maternal grandparents fled the Nazis, immigrating to Mexico from Bulgaria, while her paternal grandparents hailed from Lithuania. Both of her parents were scientists, influencing her early interest in physics and energy engineering. She eventually transitioned to politics, becoming Mexico City’s first female mayor in 2018 and serving until 2023 when she resigned to campaign for the presidency.