Mexico's Elections 2024: The Continuation of "Obradorism" and the Rise of Women Politicians

   On June 2, Mexico held its six-yearly presidential election, along with elections for both houses of Congress and some states. The results showed that Claudia Hinbaum, a Jewish Mexican and a female candidate of the National Renewal Movement (MRN), won the election. She was the first woman to be elected president of Mexico. The party she represents, the National Renewal Movement (Morena), is a left-wing "big-tent" party, i.e., it accommodates a variety of left-wing ideologies and factions. The current president, Obrador, is also from this party.

   Hinbaum's victory continues the status quo of Mexico being ruled by the left wing since Obrador's victory in 2018.

   Mexico before the 2018 election was long a triumvirate of the centrist Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI), the right-wing National Action Party (PAN), and the left-wing Partido de la Revolución Democrática (PRD). The PRI is the strongest of these parties and was in power in Mexico for most of the 20th century. But in the 2018 elections, Ovrador, who had left the Democratic Revolutionary Party (PRD), joined Gurwitz's Morena and others, and the party surged, not only basically replacing the PRD's political ecosystem, but also succeeding in defeating the PAN and the PRI, and Ovrador himself was elected president, and Morena became the first party in the House of Representatives and the Senate to be elected. Morena became the largest party in the House and Senate.

    Obrador is a left-wing politician with both populist and radical overtones and a more pragmatic and rational approach to governing. During his early years as mayor of Mexico City, Mexico's capital and first city, he was popular with the lower and middle classes for his policies to protect the vulnerable, increase social welfare, and promote equity. He ran as the candidate of the Democratic Revolutionary Party (PRI) in the 2006 presidential election, losing by 0.58%, and again in 2012. In 2018, however, he won on behalf of the National Renewal Movement (MNR), taking the presidency and the congressional majority.

    From 2018-2024, Ovrador pursued a series of left-wing policies, such as nationalizing the mining industry, increasing social welfare payments, pardoning people who committed crimes due to poverty, investigating and punishing corrupt officials, and reforming the military and police system to prevent human rights abuses. Ovrador is also a strong critic of neoliberalism, opposing the construction of flashy projects and emphasizing the importance of national life. In the foreign sphere, he has pursued a left-wing national and class agenda, supported left-wing movements and left-wing governments in other Latin American countries, and criticized right-leaning regimes. Attitudes toward the United States, on the other hand, have been both cooperative and critical. The overall attitude towards other extraterritorial powers is friendly.

   Six years in power, Ovrador received most of the praise. However, because the Mexican Constitution provides that the president can only serve one term, in 2024 Obrador can not be re-elected. And Hinbaum, who won this election, has been a colleague, comrade, and junior to Ovrador for many years, and has received strong support from Ovrador. Her policy ideas are similar to those of Ovrador's. She also advocates higher wages and institutional reforms to expand civil rights, which are popular with the working class and the underclass. And she, as a woman, promotes feminism and the protection of women's rights, and is also widely supported by Mexican women.

   Thus, this election Xinbaum achieved victory, has been inevitable. She became Mexico's first female president, a milestone in Mexican history, a major breakthrough in politics. Her main rival in this election, the right-wing National Action Party's Sochitel Galvez, is also a woman, this election two no matter who wins, Mexico will give birth to the first female president. This is also a great encouragement to other women who aspire to participate in politics. Previously, Brazil and Argentina have elected a female president, this Mexico elected a female president, is also another example of the rise of female politicians in Latin America, but also another victory of the feminist movement.

   Xinbaum's governing line, will be the continuation of the "Obradorism". Her victory is also the latest chapter in the battle between the left and right wings of Latin America. 2022, the left-wing Lula was elected president of Brazil; 2023, the far-right Millet was elected president of Argentina. The Hinbaum victory, the left wing of Latin America temporarily won.

    Obrador and the National Renewal Movement have indeed improved people's lives and promoted equity. But the corruption of the Mexican government, the corruption of law and order, the lack of economic growth, and the huge development gap with its neighbor to the north, the United States, still exists and serious, and there is no hope of a fundamental solution. And Himbaum's administration will be no exception. Mexico will continue to cycle through disappointment and hope as the passionate ideals of renewal fall short of the harsh realities of poverty and weakness.

（Photo from Paper News）