Voting Processes - In Mexico, two women are competing for the country's highest office in a landmark election.
In Mexico, anyone looking to display their political might must pack the Zócalo Square in the capital with tens of thousands of supporters. The National Palace and the Cathedral stand grandly nearby, alongside the remains of the Aztec main temple.
Both presidential candidates, incumbent Claudia Sheinbaum and challenger Xochitl Gálvez, have perfected this display of power before the imposing scenery ahead of the election on Sunday. One of them will make history by becoming the first female president of this Latin American country.
Major Election: Over 20,000 Positions Up for grabs
"Our only option lies with us," said Sheinbaum, former mayor of Mexico City, at her final event on the Zócalo. "On June 2nd, we'll be writing history." A woman will claim the presidency for the very first time in Mexico's 200-year history of independence if Sheinbaum wins.
The 61-year-old physicist is representing the government coalition that includes the left-wing party Morena. She intends to carry on with the national-populist policies of the current president, Andrés Manuel López Obrador. Despite the unrelenting violence of drug cartels, López Obrador still enjoys high approval ratings. However, after six years in office, he can't run again. López Obrador has been a polarizing force in Mexico for decades.
As per opposition candidate Gálvez, a lot is at stake in Mexico's elections for its neighbor, the United States: "This is a choice between democracy and authoritarianism." Gálvez, a former senator and tech entrepreneur with indigenous roots, is the candidate for a coalition of the three biggest opposition parties. The other contender for the highest office, 38-year-old Jorge Álvarez of a smaller party, has no chance according to the polls.
In the largest Spanish-speaking country of Latin America, around 100 million eligible voters will decide on the presidency, both chambers of Congress, and numerous other regional and local roles. This Mega-Election will see 20,000 positions being filled, such as governor positions in eight states and the Federal District. The drug cartels, wanting to maintain their influence, have also been involved: Several local candidates were murdered, one even at the culmination of his campaign event.
Columba Cazares, an 84-year-old woman in a white hat and a Morena party flag, waited patiently in the scorching sun for Sheinbaum's rally to start. She's a big fan of the government camp's candidate and the current president. "López Obrador has helped me a lot, and Sheinbaum is the most competent," said Cazares. She's concerned with the elderly's welfare.
The outgoing president's social policy featuring cash transfers to pensioners has been quite popular, and Sheinbaum needs to ensure its continuation in the most populous Spanish-speaking nation. Sheinbaum maintained a straight line with her political mentor's ideology during her campaign, a somewhat precarious balancing act between loyalty and her own ideas.
Gálvez, on the other hand, hails from humble beginnings. She studied computer technology with a scholarship and founded two technology companies. The former senator and mayor of a capital district, often seen in traditional Huipil clothing, is non-partisan but close to the conservative PAN. With a million signatures from citizens, Gálvez pushed these discredited parties, PAN, PRD, and PRI, who had ruled uninterrupted for over 70 years, to accept her candidacy. Gálvez accuses Sheinbaum of exploiting state resources during the campaign.
Gálvez criticizes López Obrador's failed security policy, the stigmatization of dissenters, and the erosion of democratic checks and balances. The ruling party is vying to expand its majority in Congress to push through constitutional reforms like the direct election of judges. "A polarizing and false narrative has been set up," said Gálvez. "According to this, anyone who doesn't agree with them is a traitor to the country." It's certain that, before the election, the glass ceiling in Mexican politics will be shattered, whether it's Sheinbaum or Gálvez.
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