Mexico's opposition party has chosen Sen. Xochitl Galvez to represent them in next year's presidential race after she got the endorsement of a key party, which ultimately let go of its contender.
The latest development moves Mexico closer to the idea of a first female president as recent polls showed that President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador's (AMLO) dominating governing party is starting to lean towards choosing a female candidate to succeed him.
Xochitl Galvez
Many analysts see Galvez as the best place to challenge AMLO's left-wing National Regeneration Movement (MORENA). Her success also comes after the head of the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRO), the country's former rulers, said that PRI would support Galvez instead of its candidate, Beatriz Paredes.
In a social media post on X, formerly known as Twitter, Galvez said this is just the beginning, which came as the opposition party released survey results that showed her getting more support than her PRI rival, as per Aljazeera.
During a news conference, PRI chairman Alejandro Moreno, surrounded by party colleagues, said that due to the results of the polls, his party was now fully supporting Galvez. However, some allies of the senator argued that PRI's intervention in the presidential race was unlikely to inspire confidence in the process.
Galvez, seen as a spirited communicator with an irreverent sense of humor, represents the center-right National Action Party (PAN). It is a longtime rival and now ally of PRI. The 60-year-old senator expressed business support even after Obrador railed against corporate greed.
She also boasts an appeal that can cut across class divides, and like the Mexican president, she connects with poorer residents better than her colleagues. Galvez is also known for her ebullience and is adept at creating publicity.
Mexico's Presidential Race
The senator, a computer engineer, and a businesswoman, grew up poor in her younger years as she was forced to help her family sell street food in the central state of Hidalgo. Galvez's father, an indigenous Otomo schoolteacher, was an abusive alcoholic, according to BBC.
After graduating in computer science, she launched a lucrative tech company that later went on to secure government contracts. Galvez is known for wearing indigenous clothing, using colloquial language, and cycling around Mexico City.
Galvez has repeatedly clashed with Obrador over various issues, which include the high levels of violence in the country. She argued that "ovaries are needed" to confront organized crime. On the other hand, the president accused the senator of being the candidate of the rich, the "oligarchs," and "conservatives."
Obrador is set to leave office on Sept. 30, 2024, and he cannot run for re-election despite having high approval ratings in polls. Despite her recent successes, Galvez is still considered a long shot against the MORENA Party, which currently holds Congress and governs 22 out of the country's 32 states.
In a statement, Arturo Sanchez Gutierrez said that Galvez was the winner of the polls that were part of the process to determine the nomination. He added that Galvez will lead the Broad Front of Mexico coalition, said the Associated Press.
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