Mexico Set to Elect First Female President Amid Historic Surge in Campaign Violence

Mexico is set to elect its first female president, with Claudia Sheinbaum, the former mayor of Mexico City, leading in the polls. Her main opponent is Xóchitl Gálvez of the conservative PAN party. Despite this historic milestone, the election is overshadowed by unprecedented violence, with at least 34 political candidates or applicants murdered since June 2023. Chiapas, a crucial area for smuggling from Guatemala, exemplifies the desperate pleas from citizens for safety from gang control.

The country faces around 30,000 homicides annually, and a staggering 95% of crimes go unpunished. Femicide rates remain high, with significant impunity for such crimes. Mexico leads globally in political gender equality due to a 2019 constitutional reform, but it remains dangerous for women.

Both Sheinbaum and Gálvez have not provided detailed plans for addressing security issues and have not dismissed the military’s role in combating organised crime. Experts argue that militarization alone won’t resolve issues of impunity and corruption. The current administration’s attempts to demilitarise have largely failed, with criminal organisations maintaining their influence.

The paradox of electing a female president amid pervasive gender-based violence underscores the complex realities of gender and security in Mexico.