Mexico elects Claudia Sheinbaum, 1st woman to be president, election institute says

LONDON -- Claudia Sheinbaum has been elected president of Mexico, marking the first time a woman has been chosen to lead the country, Mexico's election institute announced early Monday.

"For the first time in 200 years of the Republic, there will be a woman president and she will be transformative," Sheinbaum wrote in a social media post in Spanish. "Thanks to each and every Mexican. Today we demonstrate with our vote that we are a democratic people."

A sample vote count showed Sheinbaum was expected to receive at least 58% of the vote, an irreversible lead over her challengers, according to the Mexican National Electoral Institute’.

In addition to being Mexico's first female president, Sheinbaum will also be the first person with a Jewish background to lead the predominately Catholic country.

Sheinbaum, 61, is a climate scientist and the former mayor of Mexico City. She is a member of Mexico's ruling left-wing political party Morena, which was founded by outgoing President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador.