MEXICO CITY: When Mexican presidential candidates Xochitl Galvez and Claudia Sheinbaum entered politics, more than four in five senators in the nation were men. However, now, the majority of the senators are women.
The rise of Claudia Sheinbaum, who was named on Wednesday as the ruling party’s contender for next year’s presidential polls, and Galvez, the main opposition candidate, is the conclusion of a fast process of women’s inclusion in the field of politics since 2000.
Stage Set for First Woman President in Mexico
“It is unusual in a patriarchal nation,” said Josefina Vazquez Mota, who also made history in the 2012 elections as the first woman presidential contender for one of Mexico’s main political parties.
Many women in Mexico have expressed hope that the government that assumes office in October 2024 will empower females as never before. Latest polls show either ex-Mexico City Mayor Sheinbaum, or Galvez are likely to win the election in the country.
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Almost half of Latin America, including Brazil, has already voted for female heads of government, but only Peru and Honduras now have women presidents. Win for Sheinbaum or Galvez would make them the first female to win general polls in the US, Canada or Mexico.
According to some research, women remain under-represented in panels, are paid less than men, and are also more likely to work in the casual economy.
Forced marriages of women still plague Mexico, and violence against them has been rising.
