Sheinbaum takes office as Mexico’s first female president

President Claudia Sheinbaum won a landslide victory in June’s elections, inheriting a country ravaged by gang violence and economic uncertainty. (AP photo)

MEXICO CITY: Claudia Sheinbaum was sworn in as Mexico’s first female president on Tuesday. She inherits a country ravaged by gang violence and economic uncertainty over controversial reforms adopted by her powerful ruling party.

With cries of “Long live Claudia! Long live Mexico!” the 62-year-old former mayor of Mexico City took the oath of office and received the presidential sash in Congress, under the watchful eyes of foreign dignitaries – including US first lady Jill Biden.

Sheinbaum told cheering lawmakers that for the first time “women have arrived to shape the destiny of our beautiful nation,” where about 10 women or girls are murdered every day.

Supporters began gathering at dawn to celebrate the inauguration of the new leader of the world’s most populous Spanish-speaking country, which is home to 129 million people and has had 65 male presidents since independence.

“I arrive not alone,” but with “all the women of Mexico,” Sheinbaum told the flag-waving crowd in the capital’s central square after undergoing an indigenous purification ritual.

“No to racism, no to classism and no to machismo,” she said.

Marta Ramirez arrived at 5 a.m. after a bus trip from the central city of Leon to attend the festivities.

A female president “understands people better,” the housewife said.

Gina Montes de Oca, a 28-year-old social worker, said it was “a day of celebration” and called the inauguration of Mexico’s first female president “a historic change.”

A notable absence from the ceremony was Spain’s King Felipe VI, who refused to invite Sheinbaum and accused him of failing to recognize the damage caused by colonization.

In response, Spain announced it would boycott the inauguration, despite strong economic and historical ties with Mexico.

Popular pastor retires

A scientist by training, Sheinbaum won a landslide victory in June elections promising to continue the left-wing reform agenda of outgoing leader Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, a close ally.

Lopez Obrador is leaving the presidential palace after six years in the country’s one-term term, despite an approval rating of around 70%, largely thanks to his policies aimed at helping poorer Mexicans.

He leaves Sheinbaum the leadership of a nation where murders and kidnappings occur daily and violent drug cartels control large swathes of territory.

Growing criminal violence, much of it linked to drug trafficking and gangs, has left more than 450,000 people murdered and more than 100,000 missing in Mexico since 2006.

Although Sheinbaum has pledged to stick with the outgoing president’s controversial “hugs, not bullets” strategy — using social policy to tackle crime at its roots — experts expect some changes in her approach.

“It will be a modified version of ‘hugs, not bullets’ that will rely more on intelligence and therefore be more effective at getting things done,” said Professor Pamela Starr, an expert on Mexico at the University of Southern California.

Reassuring to investors

The new president will also have to deal with the fallout from a row over recently passed judicial reforms, which will make Mexico the only country in the world to elect all judges by popular vote.

Dozens of judicial officers demonstrated outside Congress on Tuesday morning – the latest in several weeks of protests.

Lopez Obrador argued that the reforms were necessary to clean up a “rotten” judiciary that serves the interests of the political and economic elite.

The changes, which critics say would make it easier for politicians and organized crime to influence the courts, upset both foreign investors and Mexico’s main trading partners, the US and Canada.

Sheinbaum tried to allay such concerns by telling investors their money “will be safe” and promising “responsible fiscal policy.”

The U.S., Canada and Mexico “know that economic cooperation strengthens the three countries,” she added.

US President Joe Biden offered Sheinbaum his “sincere congratulations,” underscoring his country’s “deep political, economic and cultural ties” with Mexico.

The UN human rights office said Sheinbaum’s presidency “sends a strong message” about the crucial role of women in public office.

At the same time, it expressed concern over the increased public security role given to the military under Lopez Obrador and urged Sheinbaum to address the country’s missing persons crisis.