Polls have closed in Mexico as nearly 100 million people cast their votes in an election that could see the country’s first female president take office. The race to replace outgoing President Andrés Manuel López Obrador has captured the nation’s attention, with voters also selecting governors, members of Congress, and local officials in what is being called the biggest election in Mexico’s history.
The election is seen as a referendum on López Obrador’s populist policies, with his Morena party hoping to gain a two-thirds majority in Congress to make constitutional amendments. The opposition, running in a coalition, argues that this move could endanger Mexico’s democratic institutions.
Both major presidential candidates are women, with Mexico City Mayor Claudia Sheinbaum leading in the polls. Sheinbaum has pledged to continue López Obrador’s policies, while opposition candidate Xóchitl Gálvez promises to take a more aggressive stance against drug cartels.
The main issues on voters’ minds are cartel violence and economic performance, with the country’s GDP averaging only about 1% growth per year under López Obrador. The election has revealed deep divisions in Mexican society over the country’s security strategy and economic growth.
As polls closed, the first preliminary results are expected to be announced later in the evening, giving a glimpse of who will lead Mexico into the future. The outcome of this historic election will shape the direction of the country for years to come.
