Chasing Claudia Sheinbaum

I arrive in Mexico City aboard the seven-hour Turistar from Tlaquepaque and hit the ground running. My first morning, I make a beeline for the Palacio Nacional, Mexico’s White House. The National Palace is a grim, imposing affair, the color of burnt oatmeal cookies, stretching for a full city block. Buttoned up tight, several layers of steel barricades surround the building, which are closely monitored by numerous police officers and a contingent of Mexico’s National Guard. The National Palace also accommodates the office and residence of Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo.

For those of you just emerging from a three-year, three-day, and three-month Tibetan Buddhist cave retreat, Claudia Sheinbaum is the first elected female president in the democratic history of Mexico. She is also the first Mexican president of Jewish descent. 

I approach a police officer on the building’s plaza side and inquire about access to the heavily guarded site. He directs me to the other side of the Palace, the street side. I round the corner and see a cluster of National Guard members monitoring a particular door. Moving closer, I spy a detachable canvas belt interrupting the steel barricade by this entrance. A starched, upright National Guard member stands guard at this break.

“Buenos días, Señora, I am a journalist from the United States looking to arrange an interview with Presidenta Sheinbaum.”

There is no visible reaction. My words neither shock nor amuse her. She tilts her head slightly to the right and murmurs something into her shoulder microphone.

“Wait here,” she says.

Claudia Sheinbaum was born on June 24, 1962, in Mexico City to educated and accomplished parents strongly committed to social justice. Claudia accompanied her parents on frequent outings to parks, museums, and various historical sites. These outings cultivated in her an interest in science and the natural environment. In time, Claudia also developed a keen awareness of the many issues confronting this vast metropolis and an appreciation of their effect on the city’s underserved populations.

Entering school, Claudia excelled in science and mathematics. She earned a scholarship to Mexico’s esteemed National Autonomous University where she completed an undergraduate degree in physics and a master’s and doctorate in energy engineering. Ms. Sheinbaum went on to become a respected researcher in energy and environmental science and served with a team of United Nations climate scientists who won the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize.

I’m still outside the National Palace when a smartly dressed government bureaucrat exits the building.

“How may I help you?” she asks.

I fidget with my introductory letter as I state my case to interview the President of Mexico.

“May I see the letter?” she asks.

I hand over the petition. It is courteous and respectful with a slight touch of humor. She gives the single-page note back to me.

“The letter is fine,” she says, “but you have addressed the President incorrectly. ‘Saludos Señora Presidenta’ must be changed to ‘Saludos Presidenta Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo.’”

“But everything else is okay?”

“Yes,” she responds. “Just change the greeting.

I bound back towards the hotel, numerous blocks away.

Claudia Sheinbaum’s commitment to social welfare, combined with her ascension as a respected scientist, led to her 2000 appointment as Secretary of the Environment of Mexico City. Her outstanding service in this position elevated her public profile and contributed to her 2018 election as Mexico City’s first female mayor.

As mayor of Mexico City, Claudia Sheinbaum employed her scientific background to inform social policy. She maintained a sharp focus on clean air, water, and urban sustainability, expanding the city’s Metro lines, building a fleet of electric buses, creating dedicated bike lanes, and establishing “green spaces” to provide respite and recreation in the urban environment. Sheinbaum championed equal opportunity in education, employment, and entrepreneurship for all genders and socioeconomic levels and served as a beacon of inspiration for countless young men and women to pursue their dreams beyond the limits of previous generations.

Claudia Sheinbaum’s performance as mayor of a city with over nine million residents catapulted her into contention for the 2024 Mexican presidential election, which she won by historic proportions.

Striding up Avenida Juarez, I pass the majestic Palacio de Bella Artes. A public demonstration is underway at the perimeter of nearby Alameda Central Park. Large banners display the faces of “the disappeared,” individuals who have vanished without explanation. A long line of stoic police officers observes the goings on. I engage a young millennial sporting a leather vest, multiple piercings, and a warm smile. Her name is “Kraken.” She’s putting the finishing touches on a poster calling attention to femicide, another pressing issue in Mexico.

“May I ask a question?”

“Sure,” she says, climbing to her feet.

“Do you feel Presidenta Sheinbaum supports your cause?”

“I do,” she responds, “but she’s just one person. With so many things demanding her attention, how much can she really do?”

“So, how do you make progress in supporting women’s issues?”

“A little bit at a time,” she says.

“Step-by-step.”

“Step-by-step,” she echoes. “It’s going to take years in this society, but we’ll keep at it.”

I bid Kraken adieu and continue on my way. The next morning, a new National Guard member stands post at the door. I present the same details as the previous day, but add, “They’re expecting me.”

A different civil servant from the day before emerges into the morning light. I explain yesterday’s error, and she asks to see the letter.

“Follow me,” she says after reading it. The guard unhooks the canvas strap, and I follow her into Mexico’s National Palace.

I take a seat in a row of chairs while the woman works at her desk. She’s entering data into the computer, then printing and stamping documents. The process takes about ten minutes. She shows me a sheath of papers and explains that my petition is stamped and official and will be forwarded to the president’s office. She provides me with an ID number and a phone number to check on my petition’s status. I thank her several hundred times and exit the National Palace of Mexico, one happy man.

Now it’s the waiting game, but it’s all good. I’ve done what I could and can leave it up to the interview gods. I’ve called to check on my request and was directed to give it a couple more weeks. Apparently, Ms. Sheinbaum is quite busy.

The letter went through several iterations. I had already identified myself as an ex-pat living in Chapala. I also decided just one question, instead of the original four, would enhance the probability of a response:

Saludos Presidenta Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo:

“What message do you have for expatriates living in Mexico?”

I hope to hear from her soon. All she’s gotta do is pick up the phone!