Claudia Sheinbaum was inaugurated as Mexico’s first female president on Tuesday, taking over from her mentor, the left-wing populist Andrés Manuel López Obrador.
The 62 year old while speaking in Mexico City following her swearing-in ceremony expressed gratitude to her charismatic predecessor, whose popularity significantly aided her decisive victory in June’s election.
According to her:
“It is time for change, and it is time for women,”
Ms. Sheinbaum
Ms. Sheinbaum – the nation’s first president of Jewish descent – intends to continue Mr. Obrador’s agenda, including his focus on social spending and railway expansion, while also pursuing her unique priorities.
However, her immediate challenge involves addressing a natural disaster.
She plans to visit Acapulco in the southern state of Guerrero on Wednesday, where Hurricane John has resulted in numerous fatalities and left extensive areas submerged.
Other pressing issues facing the new administration include tackling the powerful drug cartels and managing tensions related to migration and trade with the United States, Mexico’s northern neighbor.
Previously, she served as the mayor of Mexico City and contributed to two reports for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), a United Nations body dedicated to evaluating environmental science related to climate change.
