Mexico’s Sheinbaum Hails Progress, Sidesteps Violence and Democracy Worries

In her first state of the nation address, President Claudia Sheinbaum, Mexico’s trailblazing first female leader, took centre stage to celebrate her government’s triumphs while sidestepping the nation’s darkest issues. From navigating tense U.S. relations under Donald Trump to pushing progressive reforms, Sheinbaum painted an optimistic picture. But her silence on raging cartel violence and democratic concerns has sparked heated debate.

Sheinbaum emphasised her delicate dance with the Trump administration, dodging crippling tariffs by cracking down on cartels and delivering key figures to U.S. authorities. “We share mutual trust and respect for sovereignty,” she declared, rejecting any foreign interference in Mexico’s affairs. Yet, Trump’s recent claim that “Mexico does what we tell them to do” casts a shadow over her assertions of independence.

The president highlighted her administration’s progressive strides, crediting social programmes and minimum wage hikes for lifting 8.3 million Mexicans out of poverty between 2022 and 2024. Direct cash transfers have reached 32 million families, a quarter of the population, in what she called “Mexico’s most ambitious social plan ever.” She also reaffirmed her commitment to former President Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s legacy, spotlighting projects like the Maya Train and a robust economy with a strong peso.

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Sheinbaum celebrated the newly elected Supreme Court, calling it a “democratic triumph”. However, the judicial overhaul, pushed through by her Morena party, has critics crying foul. With judges now popularly elected, many fear a dangerous erosion of checks and balances, especially as Morena loyalists dominate the incoming court.

What Sheinbaum didn’t address spoke volumes. Cartel violence, a daily reality for many Mexicans, was barely mentioned despite ongoing bloodshed in states like Sinaloa and nearly 130,000 missing persons. Her vague nod to declining homicide rates did little to address the public’s top concern. Similarly, she glossed over fears that her judicial reforms could undermine democracy, leaving critics to question her commitment to transparency.

As Sheinbaum nears the end of her first year with approval ratings soaring between 70% and 80%, her speech aimed to project strength and progress. But the issues she avoided may prove harder to ignore as Mexico grapples with its future.

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