Claudia Sheinbaum Officially Declared Mexico's President-Elect

Claudia Sheinbaum has been formally declared the president-elect of Mexico, marking her as the first woman to hold the office. In a ceremony on Thursday, the former Mexico City mayor received the legal ruling that ended a delay caused by appeals. Sheinbaum, who won the June 2 presidential vote, will take office on October 1, a shift from the traditional December 1 swearing-in that was orchestrated by legislators who felt the transition period was overly long.

Sheinbaum's presidency begins with her pledge to follow the initiatives set by outgoing President Andrés Manuel López Obrador. She reaffirmed the continuation of the "hugs, not bullets" policy aimed at addressing the drug cartel issue through social programs rather than confrontation. The policy has been criticized as ineffective, but Sheinbaum emphasized, "The war against drugs will not return."

Winning nearly 60% of the vote, Sheinbaum decisively defeated her closest rival, Xóchitl Gálvez, who garnered about half as many votes. Gálvez has claimed that López Obrador's influence swayed the election in Sheinbaum's favor. Her term will last until 2030. (This story was generated by Newser's AI chatbot. Source: the AP)