Mexico elects climate scientist as first female president

Claudia Sheinbaum has been elected Mexico’s first ever female president in a historic result. Dr Sheinbaum, 61, a climate scientist and former mayor of Mexico City, is a member of the leftist Morena party and the handpicked successor to populist Andres Manuel López Obrador. She has pledged to continue his controversial “hugs not bullets” policy, which attempts to use social programmes to tackle the root causes of cartel violence. “I want to thank millions of Mexican women and men who decided to vote for us on this historic day,” Sheinbaum said in a victory speech to the cheering crowd. “I won’t fail you.” Mexicans cast their votes on Sunday in the country’s largest ever elections, which were marred by violence. A total of 38 candidates have been killed during the campaign – along with a similar number of party workers – as the drug cartels made their presence felt. Two people were killed at polling stations in the central state of Puebla on Sunday. The ele