When President Andrés Manuel López Obrador leaves his post and Sheinbaum takes office on Oct. 1, she'll inherit a country that is reeling from slow economic growth and violence linked to organized crime.

For years, women have made inroads into Mexican politics thanks to a 2019 constitutional reform requiring gender parity in all elected posts.

While the United States has been grappling with a domestic health crisis due to the amount of fentanyl on its streets, Mexico faces increasing cartel-linked violence – including in the run-up to the election which has been marred by dozens of assassination attempts and other political violence.

Having a woman as president will be a milestone in a country where gender-based violence is so common. But how much will change remains unclear.

President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, who has been a defining figure in Mexican politics, has said he will retire to a family ranch after his term ends. Some expect his influence will continue.