WASHINGTON— Claudia Sheinbaum has made history as the first woman elected president of Mexico, according to projections from the nation's official quick count.

Sheinbaum secured between 58.3% and 60.7% of the vote, according to a statistical sample used to conduct the quick count, announced early Monday by Guadalupe Taddei Zavala of Mexico's National Electoral Institute. Taddei Zavala stated that the tally is 95% reliable.

In her victory speech, Sheinbaum expressed her gratitude and acknowledged the historical significance of her win: "For the first time in 200 years of our republic, I will become the first woman president ... but as I've said on other occasions, I don’t make it alone. We’ve all made it, with our heroines who gave us our homeland, with our mothers, our daughters, and our granddaughters.”

Sheinbaum emphasized her commitment to supporting free expression and protest, building a “diverse and democratic” Mexico, respecting industries and the free market, and honoring the environment and nations' self-determination.

Outgoing President Andrés Manuel López Obrador hailed Sheinbaum's historic win in a video released early Monday. "I congratulate Claudia Sheinbaum, who came out as the victor, with a wide margin. It will be the first female president of Mexico in 200 years," he said. "The president [Sheinbaum] possibly got the most votes in our country's history."

The former mayor of Mexico City will serve one six-year term starting Oct. 1.

A Milestone for Mexico

Claudia Sheinbaum, 61, a physicist and climate scientist, will be Mexico’s first president of Jewish heritage. A member of the governing Morena party, she will play a crucial role in addressing issues important to the United States, such as immigration and foreign affairs, as well as determining the future of the trade deal that has made Mexico the U.S.’s largest trade partner.

Mexico’s National Electoral Institute projected a voter turnout of about 60%, according to the quick count, Zavala said.

Election Day Violence

The election was marred by reports of violence at polling stations. Querétaro State Police reported that 19 people were arrested for causing damage to ballot boxes and offering handouts. One weapon was also seized at the scene. Social media videos verified by NBC News showed the aftermath of an attack at a polling station in San Juan del Rio, Querétaro.

Continuity and Change

Sheinbaum is expected to follow in the footsteps of her mentor, López Obrador. The Morena party has dominated Mexican politics since 2018 when López Obrador was elected by a landslide. Sheinbaum has promised to maintain welfare policies and social programs that have bolstered Morena’s approval ratings.

Regarding the country's high levels of violence, Sheinbaum plans to continue her predecessor’s “hugs, not bullets” policy, which avoids directly confronting criminal organizations. This approach has not significantly reduced killings, with at least 102,400 homicides reported in the past six years. However, the previous strategy of pursuing drug lords in an all-out war did not improve safety either.

In a departure from López Obrador’s stances, Sheinbaum has advocated for a greater use of renewable energy.

A Trailblazer for Women

Sheinbaum’s victory is particularly significant in a country with high levels of violence against women. Many lauded her election as a milestone for gender equality in Mexico.

From Environmental Chief to President

Sheinbaum’s political career began in 2000 when she became Mexico City’s environment chief under then-Mayor López Obrador. She later served as his chief spokesperson during his 2006 presidential campaign. In 2015, she was elected to run Mexico City’s largest borough, Tlalpan. In 2018, Sheinbaum made history as Mexico City’s first female mayor.

Born to a chemical engineer father and a cell biologist mother, Sheinbaum has a strong academic background. She studied physics and earned a doctorate in environmental engineering. As a member of the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, she was among the scientists who shared the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize for their report.

Growing up in Mexico City, Sheinbaum took ballet and guitar lessons. At 15, she volunteered to help groups of mothers searching for their missing children, a long-standing issue in Mexico. In the 1980s, she became active in student movements and joined protests against state intervention in education policies. She earned her doctorate in energy engineering from the National Autonomous University of Mexico in 1995 before pursuing a career as an academic.