The first-ever Inauguration Day is today, Tuesday, October 1, to celebrate the swearing-in of Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo, Mexico’s first female president. The ceremony, held at the Legislative Palace of San Lázaro in Mexico City, will begin at 9 a.m. This federal holiday will occur every six years when a new president assumes office.
Sheinbaum, from the ruling Morena party, secured the presidency with 59.75% of the vote in the June 2 election. The 62-year-old former mayor of Mexico City will succeed Andrés Manuel López Obrador, who has led the country since 2018. Her six-year term will run through 2030.
The inauguration will be attended by federal deputies, senators, and international representatives from 105 countries, including 16 heads of state. In a symbolic gesture, Sheinbaum will be escorted to the Legislative Palace by an honor guard of female military cadets, marking a new chapter in Mexican leadership.
During the ceremony, President López Obrador will wear the presidential sash for the last time, before passing it to Ifigenia Martha Martínez y Hernández, the 94-year-old president of Congress. Martínez will then place the sash on Sheinbaum, a historic first for Mexico: the ceremonial transfer of power between two women.
As López Obrador\’s presidency concludes, opinions about his legacy remain mixed. Some view him as a reformer who advanced the nation, while others criticize his impact on democratic institutions. Despite this, he departs with approval ratings over 70%, underscoring his influence on Mexico\’s future.
Sheinbaum’s inauguration is not only a milestone for her personally, but also a significant moment in Mexican politics. As the country\’s first female president, she is expected to inspire new perspectives and provide a model for women in leadership as Mexico enters its next chapter of history.
