Last Monday, Oct. 1, Mexico City became an immense festival celebrating the swearing-in of the first female president in the history of that nation.
The atmosphere on the way to the Plaza del Zócalo became more festive and crowded as one advanced along the adjacent avenues where at four in the afternoon, after being sworn in as president that same morning before the Congress of the Republic, Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo would appear to share with the people. The crowd was such, even long before the scheduled time, that this writer could not take another step. The crowd, in a compact form, dragged me along.
The joy, the national pride, and above all the Hope, were reflected in the faces of each and everyone, people of all ages. They came from many of the 32 states of the nation and even from the Diaspora in the United States, political, community, and union organizations. Indigenous and Afro contingents, women, and schoolchildren. Each one with their distinctive organizational flags along with the Mexican tricolor national emblem. Huge puppets and musical bands, street vendors offering everything from succulent typical delicacies like the elotes (corn), to masks and dolls honoring López Obrador.
Huge banners thanked the administration of Andrés Manuel López Obrador for the achievements obtained during his six-year term as President and welcomed Claudia Sheinbaum. The most frequently sung slogan could be heard consistently with various rhythms and music: “It is an honor to be with Claudia today.” They addressed her informally, it was their beloved Claudia, the Claudia of the people. “Claudia, my friend, the people are with you,” they chanted.
Then, on the stage set up in the Zócalo, a procession of 133 Indigenous women authorities representing the five regions of the country came up to lead the cleansing and purification ceremony and hand over the sacred Staff of Command, a symbol of political and spiritual power, to the new President.
The sentiment that resonated in Mexican women that day was expressed by one of the authorities who, upon offering the staff of command, said to the President: “Sister Claudia, you are the voice of those of us who have not had a voice for a long time, of our people, you are the hope that we had, today Indigenous women are celebrating, but not only Indigenous women, but also Afromexican women, all women.”
After the ceremony, the President addressed the people who filled the Plaza to thank them and announce the objectives of her government. These have been summarized in a 100-point program that prioritizes the interests of the people, especially of the most disadvantaged communities, and the women who have been the object of so much violence. Faced with the wave of neoliberal privatization policies that is sweeping the world, Sheinbaum promised that there will be no privatizations.
This YouTube video collects the proposals in detail: youtube.com/watch?v=KmF32bGL0Vw.
But, who is Claudia Sheinbum Pardo? Can we trust this encouraging speech?
The President ran under the banner of the coalition Sigamos Haciendo Historia (Let’s Keep Making History), made up of Morena, the Labor Party, and the Green Ecologist Party and is the political successor of López Obrador, swearing to continue the progressive process of the Fourth Transformation of Mexico that he had started under his coalition Juntos Haremos Historia (Together We Will Make History). It is interesting to note that she surpassed the votes received by Obrador in 2018.
Claudia Sheinbaum is also a woman from a family of scientists who actively participated in the Mexican left. Her father was a member of the Mexican Communist Party. She is a mother and grandmother; has a PhD in environmental engineering, a master’s degree in energy engineering and a bachelor’s degree in physics, which qualifies her for the positions she has held so far: For example, in 2000 she served as Secretary of the Environment of the Federal District where she propelled several projects to benefit the environment.
In July 2018 she became the first woman elected head of government of Mexico City where she initiated programs that benefited the most disadvantaged strata. Among them, the community centers for economic, cultural and sports training called “Pilares,” educational centers such as the Rosario Castellanos Institute of Higher Studies, and the University of Health.
Her contributions to the benefit of the Mexican people are many and varied. Against gender violence she declared the Gender Violence Alert that resulted in care programs, including the construction of 710 kilometers of safe paths under the motto “Walk free, walk safely,” to guarantee the safety of women while walking throughout the city.
Her government program is very comprehensive and ambitious. Its fulfillment will be an extraordinary step towards a safer and happier future for all Mexicans. We can only wish all possible success to the Mexican people and their president Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo.
Long live Mexico!
Note: Joubert-Ceci was in Mexico City as a guest of the International Seminar The Parties and a New Society sponsored by the Labor Party.
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