By Edith Loyola 
Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo is set to become Mexico’s first female president, governing from 2024 to 2030, following her decisive victory in the June 2, 2024 election. Sheinbaum garnered 35,924,519 votes, surpassing the results achieved by Andrés Manuel López Obrador in 2018, when he received 30,113,483 votes.
But who is Claudia Sheinbaum? Where does she come from? Below, we outline key aspects of her life, career, and background.
Origins and Family Roots
Claudia Sheinbaum was born on June 24, 1962, in Mexico City, into a family with deep Jewish roots. Her parents, Carlos Sheinbaum and Annie Pardo, are Mexican-born, though their ancestry reflects a history of migration. Her paternal grandparents emigrated from Lithuania to Mexico in the early 20th century, fleeing persecution in Europe. On her maternal side, her Sephardic grandparents were originally from Bulgaria, arriving in Mexico during World War II, seeking refuge from war and antisemitism in Europe.
In several interviews, Sheinbaum has expressed pride in her heritage and the cultural legacy of her family, while always emphasizing that she is “100% Mexican.” Her paternal grandfather, Juan Sheinbaum Abramovitz, was a significant figure in Mexico’s Jewish community and was actively involved with the Communist Party during the early 20th century.
Academic Background
Sheinbaum boasts an impressive academic record. She attended the College of Sciences and Humanities (CCH), South Campus, and later earned her degree at the Faculty of Sciences at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), graduating with honors in Physics in 1989. Her thesis focused on energy efficiency: “A thermodynamic study of a wood stove for rural use.”
In 1991, she earned a master’s degree in Energy Engineering from UNAM, with her thesis titled “Economics of the efficient use of electrical energy in lighting.” In 1995, she completed her doctorate in Energy Engineering with the dissertation “Trends and perspectives on residential energy use in Mexico,” which included research conducted at the University of California, Berkeley.
Her expertise in energy and sustainability led to her participation in the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), a group of experts that was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2007. Sheinbaum is also a researcher at UNAM’s Institute of Engineering (currently on leave) and a member of the Mexican Academy of Sciences.
Political Career
Claudia Sheinbaum’s involvement in public life began early. In 1977, at age 15, she joined movements in defense of public education. By 1986, she had become a leader of the University Student Council (CEU), which opposed efforts to privatize UNAM.
El segundo piso de la Transformación comienza este 1 de octubre. Acompáñennos a celebrar este momento histórico. pic.twitter.com/WprYtzuPTv
— Dra. Claudia Sheinbaum (@Claudiashein) September 27, 2024
In 2000, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, then Head of Government of Mexico City, appointed her as Secretary of the Environment. In 2006, she served as spokesperson for López Obrador’s presidential campaign. In 2008, Sheinbaum led the movement “Las Adelitas,” opposing energy reforms aimed at privatizing Mexico’s oil resources.
In 2014, Sheinbaum was one of the co-founders of the Morena political party and officially began her political career with the party that year. In 2015, she was elected as delegation chief of Tlalpan, and in 2018, she made history as the first woman elected as Head of Government of Mexico City.
In 2023, she was appointed National Coordinator of the Defense Committees of the Fourth Transformation, and later became the sole presidential candidate for Morena.
Controversies
Throughout her political career, Sheinbaum has faced several controversies. One key episode involves her former husband, Carlos Ímaz, with whom she was married for 29 years (1987–2016). Ímaz was implicated in the 2004 video scandal, where several politicians from the Party of the Democratic Revolution (PRD) were seen receiving large sums of money from businessman Carlos Ahumada. The videos featured Ímaz, then Tlalpan delegation chief, as well as René Bejarano, president of the Legislative Assembly, both allegedly receiving bribes. This incident was closely tied to Sheinbaum’s then-close association with Andrés Manuel López Obrador.
Another notable controversy occurred during the September 19, 2017 earthquake, which caused widespread damage in Mexico City. One of the most tragic incidents was the collapse of the Enrique Rébsamen School in Tlalpan, which resulted in 26 fatalities (19 children and 7 adults). Sheinbaum was serving as Tlalpan delegation chief at the time, and the tragedy brought significant scrutiny to her leadership.
More recently, the collapse of Line 12 of the Mexico City Metro in 2021, during her tenure as Head of Government, led to the deaths of 27 passengers. The incident was attributed to maintenance issues, raising serious concerns about infrastructure oversight under her administration.
Other Interests
Sheinbaum also had early involvement in the arts. At age 10, she participated in the children’s music program “Pilcuicatl. The Singing Children,” which was recorded in 1972 and aired in 1977.