Mexicans Rally for Sheinbaum Amid Praise, Protests, and Big Challenges

Thousands of Mexicans gathered in Mexico City on Sunday to celebrate President Claudia Sheinbaum’s first year in office. Supporters praised her as a leader for the people, while critics warned of her party’s growing influence over government institutions.

Long Journeys for Devoted Supporters

Maria Del Carmen Huber Guevara, 63, traveled overnight with 60 others from Boca del Rio, Veracruz, just to see Sheinbaum in person. Huber Guevara praised the president for delivering the title to her long-held home, saying, “How can you not be grateful?”

Sheinbaum: “Government of the People”

Sheinbaum, who local polls show has a 70% approval rating, addressed the crowd in Constitution Square, highlighting her government’s focus on ordinary citizens and promising a crackdown on corruption. “Our government is of the people, for the people, and by the people of Mexico,” she said.

Supporters Praise Rural and Social Programs

Supporters like 73-year-old farmer Cosimo Morales Hurtado praised her for supporting rural producers and the poor. Political analysts note her popularity may outpace her administration’s record, which faces challenges including cartel-linked violence, economic uncertainty, and tensions in trade with the U.S.

Morena Party Dominance and Critics’ Concerns

Sheinbaum’s leftist Morena party continues to dominate Mexican politics, holding the presidency, Congress, the Senate, and most governorships. Critics argue the party’s control over institutions, including recently elected judges and military-led public works, creates a “Pac-Man effect” of consolidating power.

Remembrance of the Tlatelolco Massacre

The rally coincided with national remembrance events for the 1968 Tlatelolco massacre, a bloody crackdown on student protests. Some citizens set up a protest camp nearby, decrying what they see as creeping authoritarianism and calling for institutional reform.

Sheinbaum, Mexico’s first female president and a former scientist, now faces the complex task of balancing her popular appeal with urgent challenges of security, economy, and U.S. relations in the remainder of her six-year term.