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Presidential Elections in Mexico 2024

Pablo del Rio and Lucía Gaona

Pedro X. Molina


Politics in Mexico are known to have multiple facets and a complex history. Postcolonialist Mexico went through various political models; the majority were central and/or federal republics, but there was also an empire and authoritarian rulers. However, these were eventually overthrown by the Mexican people. In 1929 the political party PRI was elected and they dominated the political scene in Mexico for seventy years as a result of lack of competition and corruption. However, in the late 20th century multiple political parties began to flourish in Mexico and there was a significant transition in Mexican democracy. This shift is still present in the status quo.


Sunday the 2nd of June 2024 the Mexican presidential elections will be taking place. An estimate of 95 million Mexicans will go to the ballot to vote for the 66th Mexican president. This article will give beginners in politics an overview of the possible and official candidates, their political party (if applicable), and their legacy.


The political parties


Frente ámplio:

The Frente ámplio por México is a Mexican political alliance made up of three parties: PAN, PRI, and PRD. It is the first time these three parties have joined in alliance for the presidency. They hope to prevent Morena from winning the elections.


PRI:

The Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) is a Mexican political party with a long history of political dominance in Mexico, particularly in the 20th century. Founded in 1929, it held a hegemonic rule until the year 2000 when it lost the presidency after over 70 years in power. During its dominance, the party was associated with authoritarian practices and corruption, although it also implemented economic and social development policies. In recent times, the PRI has sought to reinvent itself and regain electoral support. They achieved this when President Peña Nieto was elected in 2012, but after a term that is commonly considered to have been unsuccessful, they have once again fallen out of favor.


PAN:

The National Action Party (PAN) is known to be “traditional” and was established in 1939. However, it gained national prominence in the late 20th century as a major rival to the long-standing dominance of the PRI. PAN espouses center-right ideologies, emphasizing free market principles, social conservatism, and a pro-business stance. It saw its first presidential victory in 2000 with Vicente Fox. However, their six years in power failed to convince the Mexican people, and a PRI candidate was elected in 2012.


PRD:

Similarly to PAN, the Party of Democratic Revolution (PRD) was created as a direct rival to PRI. The PRD advocates for social democracy, progressive policies, and social justice. It gained momentum in the 1990s and 2000s, becoming a somewhat significant player in Mexican politics. They have never been able to hold the presidency, but this might change if Frente Ámplio wins.



Morena:

Morena is the most recent political party and was founded by Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador (commonly referred to as AMLO) in 2014. Morena protested against the so-called "alleged bias" in media coverage during the presidential campaign. Morena is considered a “modern" and "liberal" party compared to parties like PAN which are known for being more "conservative". The current president of Mexico is Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador who won the elections in 2018.



Candidates:


Guillermo Diaz/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images y © David Guzmán / EFE.


Xochitl Gálvez:

Xóchitl Gálvez is a female politician who has been involved in national politics for several years. Xóchitl Gálvez has been a senator for the National Action Party (PAN), and was known for her involvement in environmental and gender equity issues. She is considered to have less experience than the other candidates, however, her campaign has recently picked up momentum, especially in Mexico City. A big part of her image focuses on her story coming from indigenous roots (marginalized group) and how she has since “worked her way up”. She has gone from selling jello at local markets to pay for university, to Chief of the Delegation of Mexico City in 2023. She received her education in computer engineering at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM). Past attempts of running for governmental positions include her 2010 campaign to become governor of Hidalgo. However, she came second.


In 2023, Xochitl planned to become the capital's governor, however from one day to the other her trajectory changed drastically. It was expected that Santiago Creel would be the presidential candidate for Frente Amplio, but as a last-minute decision, they decided to elect Xochitl. She is now considered to be the second favorite candidate for the presidency.

Her main competitor, Claudia Sheinbaum, is also a woman, however, Xochitl criticizes her saying that she has let the current president make decisions that hurt women without lifting a finger to stop it. “It’s one thing being a woman, and another thing being on the side of women.”


Claudia Sheinbaum:

Claudia Sheinbaum became head of state in Mexico City in 2018 and left the position on June 15 2023 since she won an internal survey that elected her as the Coordinator of Defense of the Fourth Transformation (the name of Morenas campaign). It is widely known that whoever got this charge would then run for president, so it is inevitable that she will become the official candidate in the days to come. Before getting into politics, she studied physics at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) and has a master's and doctorate in engineering in energy. During the early 200s, she became the environmental secretary of Mexico City and in 2006 she ran for vice-president with AMLO.

When asked by an interviewer how Claudia views her opponent, Xochitl, she replied that she views her as "the past of Mexico '' since she comes from a more conservative political party (PAN).


Marcelo Ebrard:

Marcelo Ebrard is a Mexican politician who studied international relations at the College of Mexico (Colmex). Years after commencing his political career, he became the Head of State of the capital. He introduced a lot of projects such as the Ecobicis (a chain of public bicycles that aim to reduce carbon emissions) and legalized same-sex marriage. He most recently was the Secretary of Foreign Affairs. Ebrad initially tried to run for president with Morena, nevertheless, Claudia Sheimbaum was chosen as a candidate and he was so disappointed he claimed the internal votes in Morena were rigged. Marcelo Ebrad is 63 years old and is rumored to be running with Movimiento Ciudadano. However, these suspicions have not been either confirmed or denied, he could run as an independent candidate or withdraw from the presidential elections.


Eduardo Verastegui:

Eduardo Verastegui was a Mexican Televisa actor who most recently turned into a politician and aligns himself with far-right political ideals. He claims, “ I am not running for president because I want to, but because it’s God’s will”. Which is why he is running as an independent candidate. He has amassed some support but the press finds it practically impossible for him to win. He is a highly controversial figure with scandalous proposals such as building a second wall between the US and Mexico.


Photo: Twitter de Angel Studios


Why it Matters

The elections deserve extensive attention worldwide as it is the first time in history that Mexico and the entire continent of America would have a female president. If Claudia and Xochitl remain as the only party-backed candidates and one of them wins, it would symbolize equity and progress in Mexico. It is important to raise awareness of the upcoming elections so that people can evaluate and develop critical thinking regarding the next leader of the country. Learning to exercise one’s right to vote is learning to use one’s voice for a bigger change. For those who cannot vote, it's still crucial to understand one’s duty as a civilian to comprehend the political state of the country one lives in. Even for the people that do not live in Mexico, everyone still lives in a globalized world and the events and decisions of one’s country greatly impact other nations. For those who will be able to vote next year: that vote determines Mexico's future. It is everyone's civic duty to vote, so if you can, make sure you show up and play a part in Mexico’s future. After all, democracy is only a government for the people if the people involve themselves.


Ejerciendo el Derecho Ciudadano

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