Exactly one year ago, on October 1, 2024, Claudia Sheinbaum made history by becoming Mexico’s first female president. Now, as she completes her first full year in office, the country finds itself reflecting on her leadership, her policies, and the passionate debates swirling around her administration. From the bustling streets of Mexico City to the border city of Juárez, the conversation is as lively as ever—and, perhaps unsurprisingly, deeply divided.
In the run-up to her presidency, skeptics abounded. According to Mexico News Daily, many citizens expressed doubts about whether Mexico was “ready for a woman president,” or whether the military would “respect or listen” to her. The most persistent—if not offensive—refrain was that Sheinbaum would simply be “a puppet of AMLO,” her popular predecessor, Andrés Manuel López Obrador. These doubts often seemed rooted more in emotion than evidence, a phenomenon the outlet’s CEO Travis Bembenek calls being “Confidently Wrong.” Yet one year in, the facts on the ground tell a story that’s both more complex and more interesting than any campaign-season soundbite.
Sheinbaum’s approach has been to meet criticism head-on with a whirlwind of activity and transparency. On September 1, 2025, fulfilling a constitutional mandate, she presented her first annual state of the nation report to Congress in Mexico City. But she didn’t stop there. In a move that breaks with tradition, she’s embarked on a nationwide tour, visiting all 32 states to present her administration’s achievements directly to the people. As reported by El Paso Times, she’s already made stops in places like Juárez, with upcoming events scheduled for Baja California, Jalisco, Morelos, and a major gathering in Mexico City’s Zócalo on October 5.
During her visit to Juárez on September 26, Sheinbaum spoke to thousands gathered at the Juárez Vive baseball field. Her message? Social programs work—and they’re lifting millions out of poverty. “We have a maxim, ‘for the good of all, the poor come first,’” Sheinbaum declared, according to Border Report. “We believe in trickle up, instead of trickle down, so the economy flourishes. People’s wages go further; if they have more, they buy more and that means more productivity and a boost to the economy.”
The statistics she shared were striking. Since 2018, the year her Morena party first took the presidency, 13.5 million Mexicans have escaped poverty. Sheinbaum attributes this to aggressive social spending: welfare payments for seniors and the disabled, expanded scholarships, subsidies, and—perhaps most notably—significant increases to the minimum wage. In the border economic zone, the minimum wage now stands at around 420 pesos (about $23) per day, a figure Sheinbaum says will continue to rise annually. “We have not only reduced poverty, but also inequalities,” she said, vowing to keep up the momentum.
But Sheinbaum’s vision doesn’t end with poverty reduction. In Juárez, she announced major infrastructure projects for the state of Chihuahua, including improved highways connecting Nuevo Casas Grandes to Bavispe and Chihuahua City to the coastal city of Guaymas. Water district upgrades are also in the works, with the aim of conserving water for human consumption rather than irrigation—a critical issue in this arid region.
Women have been a particular focus of Sheinbaum’s first year. Building on programs established under López Obrador, her government has expanded access to daycare for the children of women working in Juárez’s factories. She also unveiled a new financial support initiative for women aged 60 to 64, dubbed the women’s welfare pension. “There are women who left home, then got married and never had an income of their own because they were married and did not work outside their homes and always depended on the support of their husbands,” Sheinbaum explained, according to El Paso Times. “There are women who for the first time are receiving a direct income for themselves, so that they can decide what they can use it for. That is why it is called a women’s welfare pension.”
Investments in youth have also been a hallmark. Sheinbaum highlighted expanded grants for students in Chihuahua and across the country, as well as new work programs targeting young people—a demographic that has often struggled with unemployment and limited opportunities.
Sheinbaum’s border visit wasn’t just about domestic policy. She took the opportunity to push back against anti-immigrant rhetoric, particularly from former U.S. President Donald Trump. “This idea that migrants are bad people is very wrong. Mexicans who work in the United States not only support their families in Mexico, but they also make the economy there function,” Sheinbaum said, drawing enthusiastic applause. “The United States would not be what it is if it were not for the Mexican women and men who work on the other side of the border.” She also promised that Mexican consulates in the U.S. are prepared to support immigrants with whatever they need.
Political collaboration has been another unexpected feature of Sheinbaum’s tenure. In Juárez, she was joined by Chihuahua’s governor, María Campos Galván, a member of the opposition National Action Party (PAN). Despite their political differences, Sheinbaum embraced Campos Galván and emphasized their shared commitment to governing Chihuahua effectively. “We can have different political positions, we come from different political parties,” Sheinbaum said. “But when it comes to governing Chihuahua, we both govern the same.”
Notably absent from Sheinbaum’s 35-minute speech in Juárez was any mention of public safety—a topic that remains top-of-mind for many Mexicans, particularly in regions plagued by cartel violence. Critics have pointed to this omission as a potential weakness, arguing that security concerns require just as much attention as economic and social reforms.
Still, Sheinbaum’s first year has been marked by a relentless focus on social equity, infrastructure investment, and inclusivity. The debates about her independence from López Obrador, her ability to command the military, or her suitability as a female leader seem, at least for now, to be giving way to more substantive discussions about policy outcomes and the real-world impact on ordinary Mexicans.
As Sheinbaum enters her second year, the challenges ahead are significant. Yet, with millions lifted from poverty, new programs for women and youth, and a promise to keep expanding opportunity, she’s staking her presidency on the idea that a more equitable Mexico is not only possible but already underway. Whether her approach will weather the storms of political criticism and the ever-present challenges of public safety remains to be seen, but for now, the conversation in Mexico is shifting—from whether she can lead, to how she’s leading, and what comes next.
