Mexico elects Claudia Sheinbaum as first female president

JUAREZ, Chihuahua (KVIA) -- Claudia Sheinbaum has been elected to become president of Mexico for the next six years, making her the first woman chosen to lead the country in its 200-year history.

Mexico's Election Institute (INE) reported Sheinbaum won with nearly 59% percent of the votes, a 30-point difference from fellow candidate Xóchilt Gálvez.

Sheinbaum will also be the first Jewish president in a strongly catholic country. The former mayor of Mexico City has a Ph.D in engineering.

ABC-7 reached out to Tony Payan, the director of the Center for the U.S. and Mexico at Rice University's Baker Institute, to learn more about how this new Mexico administration could have a change on both countries' relationship.

"I think in this case, she will probably continue with Mr. Lopez Obrador's foreign policy towards the United States, heavy economic dependence, but trying to leverage the other issues such as drug trafficking and immigration, the border, and other issues in Mexico's favor," Dr. Payan said.

Immigration, drug trafficking, border trade issues, and even climate change were some of the main concerns voters had ahead of Mexico's General Election.

"I wouldn't expect to see a whole lot of change unless Washington changes its own strategy and links those different issues," Dr. Payan added.

A comprehensive framework to deal with binational or even trinational issues if Canada is included is what Mexico and the U.S. need to do to work on these issues and concerns, according to Payan.

Dr. Sheinbaum has promised continuity and negotiating issue by issue with the U.S. during her campaign.

"Mexico is a country under enormous water stress. 58% of the country is under water stress. Every five years the two countries have to exchange water. And certainly, Mexico doesn't seem to have the water to be able to pay its continual debt to the United States next year," Dr. Payan said.

The USMCA is set to be revised and reviewed in 2026, both administrations would have to fix or alleviate some issues to renew this trade agreement.

For experts like Payan, the way to handle the countries' issues and concerns will depend on who wins in the U.S. in November's General Election.

"It will matter whether it's Biden or Trump in the White House. I don't think Trump, really has any affection for Mexico, he sees it just as another country. The border and immigration are going to be very important to his campaign, and I think he will maintain those issues alive throughout a second term, sort to speak," Payan said.

"If he wins the election so that he can continue to have some leverage over Mexico," Payan added.

There has been little attention paid to Mexico's recent election and its newly elected president.

"I mean, here I am in Washington, DC, thinking about Mexico, writing about Mexico, talking about Mexico, and I can tell you that there's very little attention paid to Mexico. There's been some really unpleasant developments in the Mexican political campaign, including violence. This is one of the most violent campaigns we've seen with over, 35 candidates killed," Payan finalized.

Dr. Sheinbaum will take office on Oct. 1, less than four months before the next U.S. President is sworn in.