Mexico's Historic Election Marred by Violence as Voters Seek Change Amid Rising Insecurity

Mexico's Record-Breaking Election

Voters in Mexico are currently participating in the country's largest election to date. They are casting votes to fill more than 20,000 local, state, and federal positions. This election is also expected to result in the country's first female president being elected.

Rampant Violence Threatens Election Progress

The road leading to this historic election has been marred by rampant violence. Criminal groups have taken control of large parts of Mexico, engaging in battles for territory to traffic drugs into the U.S., make money from migrant smuggling, and extort residents. This has led to a 150% increase in the number of victims of political violence since 2021, as reported by Integralia, a public affairs consulting firm that specializes in researching political risk and other issues in Mexico.

"But ever since Mr. Lopez Obrador took office at the end of 2018, that discourse has completely shifted...These criminals feel that they can do almost anything they want to and the state will not go after them." - Tony Payan, Director for the Center for the U.S. and Mexico at Rice University's Baker Institute for Public Policy

Security Concerns at the Forefront

These instances of violence and criminal activities have greatly dismayed Mexican voters, with security being cited as a top concern. A survey by Mexico's National Institute of Statistics and Geography, published in April, revealed that about 6 in 10 Mexican adults consider their city to be unsafe due to robberies or armed violence.

Female Presidential Candidates with Contrasting Strategies

Both front-running presidential candidates, Claudia Sheinbaum of Mexico's governing political party, Morena, and Xóchitl Gálvez of the opposition coalition Broad Front for Mexico, have differing approaches to addressing the issue of crime.

Expected First Female President

Claudia Sheinbaum, a former mayor of Mexico City and a physicist and climate scientist, plans to combat violence by continuing the policy of "hugs, not bullets" implemented by President López Obrador. This approach does not directly confront the cartels, as had been done in previous administrations.

Alternative Strategy

On the other hand, Xóchitl Gálvez, a former senator and tech entrepreneur, is advocating for a different approach. She aims to convince voters that health care access and economic development have stalled under Morena, and crime rates remain high. She is positioning her party as the change Mexico needs to unite an increasingly polarized country.

Challenges for Mexico's Next President

The next president of Mexico will face crucial challenges tied to U.S. interests, such as immigration, foreign affairs, and the future of the trade deal that has made Mexico the United States' largest trade partner.

Election Details

Polls opened at 8:00 a.m. local time on Sunday and are set to close at 6:00 p.m.