- Ravindra's 134 puts New Zealand in command of India Test
- Kenya's Ruto nominates new deputy after impeachment
- Israel conducts raids on Gaza after killing Hamas chief Sinwar
- Asian markets rise as China economy tops forecasts, gold hits record
- Pakistan crush England in second Test to set up series decider
- Harris, Trump to rally voters in key state on same day
- US sees new chance to end Gaza war with Sinwar killing
- From Siberia to the Sahara: Huskies conquer Mauritania
- Ravindra hits ton to extend New Zealand lead to 299 in India Test
- Marc Marquez quickest in Australian MotoGP practice
- 'Like Texas': Spain's arid south draws Western film shoots
- With record production, Moldova plum farmers hail EU integration
- Nigerians sacrifice cars as cost of living crisis worsens
- Liverpool face Chelsea title test, Ten Hag fights to avoid sack
- Dodgers roll while Guardians fry Yankees in MLB playoff thriller
- Top Texas court stays execution of autistic man in 'shaken baby' case
- China posts slowest growth in over a year as property woes drag
- Asian markets swing as China economic growth slows
- Pogba's shadow looms over Juve as revitalised Lazio come to town
- 'Unbelievable' Raphinha leading Barca into tricky triple-header
- In-form Marmoush and Frankfurt hope to tackle history at wounded Leverkusen
- Britain's Lammy in China to 'challenge' Beijing on Russia support
- Manila's car counters help address 'world's worst traffic'
- British racing attendances falling behind, says Qatar Racing's manager
- Rain forces cancellation of opening practice for Australian MotoGP
- Dupont 'beyond surprise' for Toulouse's Kinghorn
- Drought forces Big Tech to rethink thirsty LatAm data centers
- Countries under pressure to fork out for nature at UN conference
- Biden, allies in Berlin to renew Gaza truce call after Hamas leader killed
- Guardians rally to fry Yankees in 10 innings in MLB playoff thriller
- World Bank president focused on job creation ahead of annual meetings
- World Bank chief says lender's climate goals likely safe under Trump
- Japan's core inflation rate slows in September
- Israel PM says killing of Hamas chief 'beginning of the end' of Gaza war
- King Charles set to arrive in Australia for landmark tour
- Nadal defeated by 'animal' Alcaraz in Saudi Arabia as career nears end
- US Supreme Court denies stay of execution to Texas man in 'shaken baby' case
- US charges Indian agent over alleged plot to kill Sikh separatist
- Musk stumps for Trump in key US swing state
- TikTok, Facebook approve ads with US election disinformation, study says
- Purdy and 49ers face Chiefs in Super Bowl rematch
- Kenya deputy president ousted in historic impeachment
- Israel military says Sinwar killed in firefight while tracked by drone
- One Direction members 'devastated' by Liam Payne's death
- Norris shrugs off Red Bull 'trick' of the trade at US Grand Prix
- Global stocks climb as ECB cuts rates and tech rebounds
- Chelsea, Lyon ease to wins in Women's Champions League
- China expected to post slowing growth as economic woes drag
- Yamasaki brings keirin world title home as Japan takes two track golds
- Netflix adds millions of subscribers but growth slows
RBGPF | 0.69% | 60.92 | $ | |
RYCEF | 0.68% | 7.4 | $ | |
CMSD | -0.52% | 25.02 | $ | |
RIO | -1.32% | 65.09 | $ | |
CMSC | -0.52% | 24.79 | $ | |
SCS | 0.53% | 13.21 | $ | |
NGG | -1.41% | 67.19 | $ | |
GSK | -0.64% | 38.96 | $ | |
RELX | 0.91% | 48.59 | $ | |
AZN | -0.37% | 78.02 | $ | |
JRI | -0.15% | 13.15 | $ | |
BCC | -3.38% | 142.2 | $ | |
BTI | -1.22% | 35.37 | $ | |
BCE | 0.03% | 33.49 | $ | |
VOD | -1.23% | 9.73 | $ | |
BP | 1.25% | 31.32 | $ |
'Huge change': Mexico expected to elect first woman president
Mexico is on course to elect its first woman president this weekend, with two front-runners competing to break the highest political glass ceiling in a country with a history of gender violence and inequality.
Ruling-party candidate Claudia Sheinbaum and opposition hopeful Xochitl Galvez, both 61, have dominated the presidential race in the world's most populous Spanish-speaking country, home to 129 million people.
The only man running, Jorge Alvarez Maynez, is trailing far behind with just days left before the Sunday vote.
"It's a huge change," said Guadalupe Correa-Cabrera, a professor at George Mason University, in the United States.
"A woman president will be an inspiration for women in every single sector of the economy, politics, society and culture," she told AFP.
Sheinbaum owes much of her popularity to President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, a close ally who has an approval rating of more than 60 percent but is only allowed to serve one term.
A former Mexico City mayor and a scientist by training, Sheinbaum has 55 percent of voter support, according to a poll average compiled by research firm Oraculus.
Galvez, an outspoken senator and businesswoman with Indigenous roots who represents a broad coalition of opposition parties, has 33 percent.
Maynez, 38, of the small Citizens' Movement party,has just 12 percent.
The longshot centrist resumed campaigning Saturday after suspending activities for several days following a stage collapse at one of his rallies that left nine people dead.
- Cartels, trade, migration -
Mexico's next president will face an array of challenges, including managing migration, delicate relations with the neighboring United States and criminal violence that has left more than 450,000 people dead and tens of thousands missing since 2006.
Around 30 candidates for local office have been murdered in a wave of electoral violence since last September, in a country where politics, corruption and crime are closely intertwined.
"The ominous spread of organized crime and flourishing cartels is the most daunting problem Sheinbaum will need to confront" if elected, said Michael Shifter, a researcher and former president of the Inter-American Dialogue think tank in Washington.
Whoever wins, it will likely be business as usual for the cartels that control swaths of the country and smuggle vast amounts of cocaine, fentanyl and other drugs into the United States, experts predict.
"They're not going to change their attitude just because Mexico has a female president," Correa-Cabrera said.
Sheinbaum has pledged to continue Lopez Obrador's strategy of tackling crime at its roots -- a controversial strategy that the left-wing populist calls "hugs not bullets."
Galvez, who often evokes her childhood story of growing up in a poor, rural town in central Mexico, has vowed a tougher approach, declaring "hugs for criminals are over."
Another major challenge will be Mexico's complex relationship with the United States, particularly if former president Donald Trump is reelected in November, Shifter said.
"If he returns to the White House, Trump is expected to double down on his hardline stance on immigration, trade and drugs -- very sensitive issues crucial to the bilateral relationship," he said.
- Femicide epidemic -
While Mexican women enjoy growing success in politics and business, gender violence remains a major problem in a country where around 10 women are murdered every day.
And while millions of Mexicans have escaped poverty in recent years, more than a third still live below the poverty line, official figures showed last year.
Mexico has Latin America's second-biggest economy, but many people rely on informal jobs to scrape together a living.
"One of the things that most affects us young people is work and obviously insecurity," said Fatima Gonzalez, a 20-year-old vendor in a town near Mexico City who admires Xochitl's "authenticity."
Having a woman president will not transform the lives of ordinary Mexican women overnight, Correa-Cabrera said.
"Inequality affecting women, particularly in the poorest segments of society, is not going to change just because we have a female president who represents the elite and privileged," she said.
As well as voting for a new president, Mexicans will choose members of Congress, several state governors and myriad local officials.
In total, more than 20,000 positions are being contested. Nearly 100 million people are registered to vote.
Ricardo Escobar, 20, hopes that a Sheinbaum presidency will bring benefits in terms of education and scholarships.
"We did well with the current government," he said.
K.Brown--BTB