Claudia Sheinbaum: Mexico's new superpower

Claudia Sheinbaum's victory in the Mexican presidential elections has been described with multiple adjectives: overwhelming, resounding, enormous, and undoubtedly historic. Not only for becoming the first woman to preside over the Mexican state, but also for the magnitude of this triumph, which has made it clear that her political power could be on par with or even surpass that of Andrés Manuel López Obrador himself. Mexico City, previously governed by Sheinbaum, will continue under the leadership of the bold Clara Brugada, a continuation of the political project that has marked the capital in recent years. Additionally, the ruling coalition retained power in five out of the nine governorships at stake, maintaining a significant presence in 23 to 25 of the country's 32 governorships. But perhaps the most outstanding achievement is the conquest of the Congress. Despite López Obrador's movement being the most important political force in Mexico for years, it had never before held qualified majorities in Congress. However, this situation could change with Sheinbaum's victory, granting her unprecedented political power. The magnitude of Sheinbaum's victory is reflected in three key figures. Firstly, she becomes the candidate with the most votes in Mexico's democratic history, with a possible figure close to 35 million votes, surpassing even López Obrador in 2018. This overwhelming difference with her closest opponent, Xóchitl Gálvez, reflects her ability to connect with the population and project an image of responsibility and continuity with her predecessor's policies. López Obrador's high popularity, exceeding 60%, has been a determining factor in Sheinbaum's success, as well as the failure of a divided opposition without clear proposals. The ruling coalition's victory in the legislative elections also approaches achieving qualified majorities in the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate, an unprecedented event since the 1980s when the PRI dominated Mexican politics. The political power that Sheinbaum will wield, backed by the Morena coalition, raises the possibility of carrying out significant reforms in Mexico, in line with the so-called Fourth Transformation proposed by López Obrador. However, this absolute power also poses a challenge to Mexican democracy, as the concentration of power in a single party can lead to excesses and abuses. For some analysts, this victory represents a milestone for the Mexican left, which will have the opportunity to demonstrate its capacity for governance and execution. However, it also raises the risk of a hegemonic party with so much power, recalling dark episodes of Mexican political history. Managing this power will be crucial to ensure that it is used for the benefit of the country and not to the detriment of democracy and citizen freedoms. In conclusion, Claudia Sheinbaum assumes a role of great power in Mexican politics, with the responsibility of facing urgent challenges such as poverty, violence, and corruption. Her victory has been celebrated as a historic achievement for female representation in politics, but it also raises questions about the limits of political power in a constantly evolving democracy.