A year after Mexico’s first inauguration as the first female president, Claudia Sheinbaum has ordered popular support that many leaders can only hope for.
About 70% of Mexicans approve of her performance, according to an August poll by Buendía & Márquez of the newspaper El Universal.
This is down from 80% in February, but according to a CNN poll compilation, that rating is in contrast to President Donald Trump, who has been rated above 40% until his second term.
So, what is the key to Simbaum’s success?
The survey suggests that one of her most popular outcomes is the expansion of social support programs for millions of citizens, including seniors, students, single mothers and women. These are continuations of a policy that mirrors the slogan that has been so popular with her predecessor and former mentor, Andres Manuel López Obrador, who has taken him into power.
Sheinbaum was elected Mexico’s first female president in June, and was partially held behind her promise to continue the legacy of Lopez Obrador with about 60% of the vote.
But since taking power, she has done more than following his agenda.
Analysts point to three other areas that praised Shainbaum. Treatment of relations between the United States and Trump. Her battle against corruption. And then the Soccer World Cup approaches.
The Mexican leader has won many praise for her measured approach to the US president, including her mantra to maintain a “cool head.”
Trump has raised pressure on her with orders that include renaming the Gulf of Mexico as the US Gulf and declaring the drug cartel as a terrorist organization, but the act that could pave the way for the use of American military force in Mexican soil has set a diplomatic line between security and immigration cooperation and respecting migration.
She provided many of Trump’s demands, including increasing the number of troops at the US border to stop drug trafficking, accepting thousands of deported immigrants from the US, and handing over dozens of cartel members sought after by the US government, but she faced his rhetoric.
In her Sunday speech at Mexico City’s iconic El Zocalo Square, Sheinbaum emphasized crime reduction as she said, “Mexico does not accept interference, we are a free, independent, sovereign country.”
Experts say that treading on that fine line not only helped her international position, but she also helped her tackle some of the many security issues that have plagued the country for decades.
In Sheinbaum’s first year, the proportion of some shocking crimes fell sharply, according to official figures.
During the first 11 months of Sinbaum’s term, 23,917 intentional murders were recorded in Mexico, down from 31,801 in Lopez Obrador’s first 11 months.
That doesn’t mean that Sheinbaum is not facing any challenges in this field. That crime decline was not even within the entire country.
In northwestern Sinaloa, intentional murders rose 400% the year after drug trafficker Ismael “Elmayo” Zambada was arrested in July 2024.
Furthermore, a report by the National Institute of Statistics found that around 63.2% of Mexicans feel unsafe in their cities. And most Mexicans believe security issues remain the biggest issue in the country, according to multiple studies.
Another area that Sheinbaum has gained support is fighting corruption, particularly targeting personnel related to fuel theft. This is a major domestic issue.
Known in Mexico as “Fiscal Huatikol,” theft of gasoline and diesel over illegal profits can be a source of increased revenue for criminal groups and can spur government corruption.
In early September, Security Secretary Omar Garcia Halfucci announced that authorities had arrested 14 people allegedly involved in a massive fuel smuggling scheme. Among those arrested were the Marines, former customs officers and businessmen.
Enkoll’s research shows that despite many experts’ previously compared to the decline in the ocean, the crackdown is considered a significant development in Sheinbaum’s campaign against corruption, gaining support from 70% of Mexicans.
These issues took office in Sinbaum’s first year, but the issue that appears most likely to dominate her second year is co-hosting between the US and Canada for the 2026 Football World Cup.
This is the third time Mexico has hosted the World Cup (it was the only host in 1970 and 1986). Take this opportunity to hold 13 games, including the opening match on June 11th.
Both the government and the private sector see opportunities to attract tourists and revenue, but they recognize that the country must prepare its infrastructure to accommodate visitors arriving in three cities: Mexico City, Guadalajara and Monterry’s World Cup Stadium.
There are also some other potential pitfalls. Some Mexico City residents believe the capital may have the capacity to host tournaments. After this summer, it was a historic rain that caused multiple floods, collapsed roads and affected the operation of the city’s main public transport network, Metro. Additionally, some general organizations have protested to reject World Cup-related works.
Sheinbaum herself has identified the tournament as a “Mexican showcase,” and if she can pull it off smoothly, it will further boost her popularity.
This is the first time in history that a tournament has been hosted in three separate countries. Luckily, Shanebaum is already off to a head start when it comes to working with his Mexican co-host, given his skills in working with Trump.
