Claudia Sheinbaum takes office as Mexico's first female president

# Claudia Sheinbaum takes office as Mexico's first female president

*Event date: 2024-10-01*

Claudia Sheinbaum took office on October 1, 2024, becoming Mexico's first female president and opening a six-year term that will be defined in part by the country's relationship with the United States.

USA Today reported that the inauguration took place in Mexico City at the congressional chamber known as San Lázaro. Sheinbaum, a scientist and former mayor of Mexico City, won the presidency in June and now inherits a role that sits at the center of Mexico's trade, migration and security politics.

The U.S. relationship looms especially large. Roughly 80% of Mexico's exports go to the United States, and the source said the economy depends heavily on that trade, as well as on remittances sent home by Mexicans working abroad. That dependence means any shift in Washington can have immediate consequences for Mexico, whether on tariffs, migration policy or the treatment of the North American free trade arrangement due for renegotiation in 2026.

The article said Sheinbaum would rather face a more predictable White House partner than Donald Trump, whose return would pose a tariff risk. It also noted that she takes office while Mexico continues to manage migration pressure on the U.S. border and faces demands to confront criminal groups that traffic fentanyl and migrants. Those are not abstract policy questions; they are the first-order issues that will shape her presidency from the start.

Sheinbaum's personal history is also part of the significance of the day. USA Today described her as the first woman to lead Mexico and the country's first president of Jewish ancestry. Her political path has been closely tied to former president Andrés Manuel López Obrador, whose social programs and political style are likely to cast a long shadow over her administration.

The inauguration itself drew a U.S. delegation that included First Lady Jill Biden, Ambassador Ken Salazar, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra. Their presence reflected the depth of the bilateral stakes.

Sheinbaum begins with strong domestic support, according to the report, but also with major unresolved questions. She has to implement a sweeping judicial overhaul, manage the transition from López Obrador's government and navigate an external environment that could shift sharply depending on the U.S. election outcome. The day marked a historic breakthrough in Mexican politics, but it also set the stage for a demanding presidency.