Mexico is making history today as the nation prepares to inaugurate its first female president, Claudia Sheinbaum. A climate scientist and former mayor of Mexico City, Sheinbaum secured a landslide victory in the June elections. She is a member of the ruling Morena party and a close ally of outgoing President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, whose six-year term ends today.
Known as AMLO, López Obrador leaves behind a complex legacy as one of Mexico’s most popular presidents in decades, maintaining an approval rating that never dipped below 60%. AMLO advocated for a “progressive reframing of anti-corruption politics, viewing neoliberalism itself as a form of corruption,” says Edwin Ackerman, a sociology professor at Syracuse University. His policies significantly boosted the economic power of Mexico’s working class.
However, AMLO also faced criticism for expanding military influence, increasing reliance on fossil fuels, and pushing through controversial judicial reforms.