- Region:
- Mexico
- Category:
- Politics
The polling stations for the presidential election in Mexico have closed
Claudia Sheinbaum, the Morena candidate, is leading in the polls. The opposition candidate, Xóchitl Gálvez, is looking to pull off a surprise.
The polling stations have closed, culminating a historic election in Mexico. Long lines of citizens eager to exercise their right to vote were a constant throughout the day. Surprisingly, the day passed without any major violent incidents, highlighting the country's democratic maturity.
Early in the day, key political figures went to the polls, marking the start of an intense day. The President of the Supreme Court of Justice of the Nation, Norma Lucía Piña Hernández, was one of the first to vote, followed by other high-profile officials such as Ernestina Godoy, former head of the Attorney General's Office of Mexico City.
As the morning progressed, special polling stations began to run out of ballots, causing discontent and frustration among voters. At the special polling station at Centro Médico La Raza, for instance, electronic voting was the only option available after paper ballots were exhausted. This issue was repeated in several parts of the country, where voter turnout exceeded expectations.
The atmosphere in the streets was one of enthusiasm but also tension. In Jiquipilco, State of Mexico, a violent incident resulted in one person dead and another injured. However, authorities responded quickly to secure the area and maintain peace in the rest of the country.
Throughout the afternoon, lines at polling stations continued to grow. The National Electoral Institute (INE) reported the installation of 98.75% of the polling stations, a significant achievement in terms of electoral organization. However, the waiting time to vote was longer than expected, with some citizens taking up to nine minutes to cast their vote.
Claudia Sheinbaum, the Morena candidate and the favorite in the polls, voted in the morning and then headed to her "bunker" at the Hilton Hotel on Paseo de la Reforma. There, she was accompanied by her campaign team and other supporters, waiting for the first results. Among them was Gerardo Fernández Noroña, who highlighted the high voter turnout and dismissed any nervousness.
In contrast, Xóchitl Gálvez, the opposition candidate, voted in the Miguel Hidalgo borough after a long wait of two and a half hours. Despite the lines, she was optimistic and pleased with the citizen participation. She later went to the InterContinental Hotel, where she would await the results with her team.
As the polls were about to close, statements of support were forthcoming. Arturo Zaldívar, a retired former minister of the Supreme Court of Justice of the Nation, stated from the Hilton Hotel that Claudia Sheinbaum would be Mexico's first leftist president, anticipating a resounding victory for the Morena candidate.
On the international front, the INE reported that by 4:30 PM, 180,676 votes from Mexicans abroad had been received, a record turnout compared to previous elections. However, the influx of voters and delays in the process led INE advisers to consider extending voting hours at some consulates in the United States.
The electoral day concluded with Mario Delgado, the national leader of Morena, ready to deliver a message as soon as the first official results were known. Expectations were high, and both Morena supporters and the opposition anxiously awaited the first figures that would define Mexico's political future.
Thus ended a day filled with emotions and marked by notable citizen participation. The polls closed and the country awaited the results that would determine the nation's direction in the coming years.
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