Claudia Sheinbaum makes history as President of Mexico

She is the first female president of Mexico, marking a historic moment for the country. During the ceremony, she outlined a ten-point plan that will guide her administration and reassured both national and foreign investors that their investments in Mexico are secure.

A new era has begun in Mexico: for the first time in 200 years of independence, a woman has become the President of the Republic. Yesterday, Claudia Sheinbaum reaffirmed her victory: “We made it, all of us.” Shortly after 11:00 a.m., the winner of the June 2nd election arrived at the Chamber of Deputies, accompanied by her partner, Jesús María Tarriba.

Dressed in an ivory gown woven by Oaxacan artisans, Sheinbaum walked to the front of the legislative building, where she was greeted by an all-female committee of lawmakers. Wearing her hair in a bun rather than her signature ponytail, she entered the chamber. Then, in a joint session of Congress, she was sworn in as the Constitutional President of the United Mexican States.

“I swear to uphold and enforce the Political Constitution of the United Mexican States,” declared the scientist-turned-politician. Former President Andrés Manuel López Obrador handed the presidential sash to Deputy Ifigenia Martínez, who then passed it to Sheinbaum.

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¿Cuáles son las 100 acciones que Claudia Sheinbaum impulsará como presidenta de México?

With the assistance of a cadet from the Heroic Military Academy, President Sheinbaum donned the sash from her right shoulder to her left side, fastening it at the waist. The Presidential Sash, symbolizing the National Flag, is a mark of the Federal Executive Power and may only be worn by the President.

Wearing the sash, Sheinbaum delivered her first address to the nation as president. She started by acknowledging her political mentor, Andrés Manuel López Obrador. After expressing her gratitude, she called for the continuation of the Fourth Transformation.

“Today, October 1st, 2024, marks the beginning of the second phase, the next level of the Fourth Transformation of public life in Mexico. Today, after 200 years of the Republic and 300 years of colonial rule—after at least 503 years—women have finally arrived to lead the destiny of our beautiful nation,” she declared.

Sheinbaum paid tribute to the role of women in Mexico’s history, recognizing both visible and unsung heroines. “We now know that women participated in Mexico’s great historic feats from various fronts, and we know that women can be presidents.”

She also made a pointed statement about language, encouraging the use of the feminine form in professions: “Let’s say ‘presidenta’ just as we say abogada (lawyer), científica (scientist), soldada (soldier), bombera (firefighter), doctora (doctor), maestra (teacher), ingeniera (engineer), with the ‘a’ at the end, because, as we have learned, only what is named exists.”

She reiterated that she would govern for all Mexicans: “Together, we will build a more prosperous, free, democratic, sovereign, and just Mexico. I will not let you down,” she promised. Sheinbaum also emphasized the continuation of the Mexican humanism initiated by López Obrador.

To support this, she presented a ten-point set of guiding principles: shared prosperity, starting with the poor; no rich government while the people remain poor, ensuring Republican austerity; and maintaining honesty in governance.

She stressed that public service is sullied when used for personal or group gain. Sheinbaum emphasized the core belief that democracy is government by the people, for the people, and with the people—without the people, there is nothing. “Prohibition is prohibited,” she added, noting that freedom is the essence of democracy. She highlighted the need to protect the environment and natural resources for sustainable development and public well-being. Furthermore, she affirmed that women have the right to substantive equality and that Mexico remains a sovereign, independent, and democratic nation.

On Tuesday, Sheinbaum also reassured national and international investors of the safety of their investments in Mexico and a commitment to a “responsible” fiscal policy. “Let me be clear: national and foreign shareholders can rest assured that their investments are safe in our country,” she stated.

Before Sheinbaum was sworn in, guests from various sectors began arriving, including Supreme Court President Norma Piña, who arrived at 10:00 a.m. via the guest entrance.

Members of the federal cabinet, heads of state, special guests, and lawmakers were present under tight security. International guests included Jill Biden, First Lady of the United States; Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva; Honduran President Xiomara Castro; Paraguayan President Santiago Peña; Guatemalan President Bernardo Arévalo; and Colombian President Gustavo Petro, among others.

First Official Task

One of Sheinbaum’s first actions as president will be visiting Acapulco, Guerrero, to address the ongoing emergency caused by Hurricane John.

“I’d like to take this opportunity to announce that tomorrow afternoon, we will be in Acapulco to continue providing immediate assistance on behalf of the Mexican government. As a humanist government, we will continue to support all those affected in Guerrero and other states,” she informed the public.

At 4 p.m. on October 2nd, President Claudia Sheinbaum will meet with the Governor of Guerrero, mayors from affected municipalities, and members of her cabinet to conduct a new survey of the disaster’s victims and coordinate the necessary aid efforts.