Claudia Sheinbaum was inaugurated as Mexico’s first female president on Tuesday, amid enthusiasm for her predecessor’s social programs but facing significant challenges like high violence, a sluggish economy, and recovery from recent hurricanes.

The 62-year-old former scientist pledged to address issues such as rising food and gasoline prices, expand cash aid for women and children, and support infrastructure projects.

However, she offered little change to her predecessor Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s approach to drug cartels, focusing instead on intelligence and investigation rather than direct confrontation, the Associated Press has reported.

Sheinbaum’s leadership comes with a deeply polarized political landscape and pressing issues like cartel violence and a significant budget deficit, alongside the looming impact of potential U.S. tariffs under a future Trump presidency.

Written by B.C. Begley