Although there were other women along the way who tried to reach the Presidency of the Republic, such as Rosario Ibarra, Cecilia Soto, Josefina Vázquez Mota and Xóchitl Gálvez, among others, none came close to achieving the position.
With Sheinbaum’s victory, Mexico joined the list of 29 nations in the world that are headed by a woman, either as Heads of State or Government, according to UN Women data updated as of October 1, 2024.
“At the current pace, gender equality at the highest levels of decision-making will not be achieved for another 130 years,” says a UN report on women’s political participation.
Among the countries that today are governed by a woman, Xiomara Castro, from Honduras, stands out; Dina Boluarte, from Peru; Giorgia Meloni at the head of Italy; and Mette Frederiksen, from Denmark.
In North America, Mexico is the first country to have a female president. When the recent elections in the United States took place, there was the possibility that that country would join the list, with Kamala Harris, however, she lost to Republican Donald Trump.
In Latin America, only seven women have been elected presidents; others have come to power, but through interim positions.
