First Jewish Woman Elected Mayor of Mexico City

Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo first held a political position in 2017.

The first Jewish woman was elected Mayor of Mexico City on July 1.[/tweetit] Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo made history by setting two firsts: being both the first woman and the first Jew to hold the post. Mexico City is the biggest North American metropolis. Although a woman once held the Mayoral post in 1999, the appointment was on an interim basis. Pardo is the first elected mayor.

First Jewish Woman Elected Mayor of Mexico City[/tweetthis]

The newest mayor is 55 years old. Pardo is a third generation Jewish immigrant to Mexico from Bulgaria and Lithuania. She is erudite, with doctorates in physics and engineering. When it comes to politics, she is a National Regeneration Movement party member, a leftist political group. She is close to the party leader, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador. The latter is now the latest newly elected president of Mexico. The party was elected based on promises made to curb government corruption and crime.

The convincing win of the National Regeneration Movement party has put a leftist political party in power for the first time in multiple generations in Mexico. The change could result in a dramatic shake-up in the Mexican economic and political landscape. The North American country has been under the administration of mainstream, center-right parties for almost 20 years now.

Pardo is aware that her academic background might not impress the electorate who wants the newly minted government to crack down on corruption. She warned that although she appeared skinny and bookish does not equal softness in cracking down on crime. Her election campaign ran on the “Together we will make history” slogan. She has her task cut out: manage Mexico City and all its greater areas. It is now home to over 21 million individuals. It is also the largest Spanish speaking metropolis in the globe. Jews form a tiny minority, with about 50,000 people.

Pardo won approximately 55.5 percent of total votes cast. She was born 1962 and held her maiden political position in 2017. Her first political experience in holding power came when she was elected to Mexico City's Tlalpan area's district mayor. She has served as Secretary of the Environment from 2015. She has extensive experience in working in intergovernmental organizations and government related to climate change.

Holy crap a Jewish woman who has a doctorate in physics is the new mayor of Mexico City: pic.twitter.com/MTyDj3gBdg

— Mike Meltzer (@MikeMeltzer) July 2, 2018

Resources

• Jewish Telegraphic Agency
• The Jerusalem Post

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