Michael Brooks
Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo, born on 24 June 1962 in Mexico City, is a Mexican politician, energy and climate change scientist, and academic. She is the first woman to be elected as Mexico's president. Sheinbaum was inaugurated as Mexico City's head of government in 2018 and became the country's first female head of government and the first to come from a Jewish background. Sheinbaum's paternal grandparents were Ashkenazi Jews who fled Lithuania to Mexico in the 1920s, and her mother's family were Sephardic Jews who fled Bulgaria during World War II. While she has discussed her culturally Jewish upbringing, she rarely mentions it publicly. Sheinbaum has been criticized for downplaying her Jewish identity and has kept silent on the situation in Israel. She has also been accused of wearing Catholic symbols to appeal to the majority of Catholic voters in Mexico.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Family background | Mexican Jewish |
| Father's side | Ashkenazi Jews who fled Lithuania in the 1920s |
| Mother's side | Sephardi Jews who fled Bulgaria during the Holocaust |
| Religion | Jewish, but not religiously observant |
| Political affiliation | National Regeneration Movement (Morena) |
| Profession | Politician, energy and climate change scientist, and academic |
| Education | Doctor of Philosophy in energy engineering from the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) |
| Previous experience | Head of Government of Mexico City (2018-2023) |
| Election results | Elected as Mexico's first female President in 2024 with 58-60% of the popular vote |
| Global recognition | Ranked 4th most powerful woman in the world by Forbes in 2024; BBC's 100 Women in 2018 |
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What You'll Learn
Claudia Sheinbaum's Jewish heritage
Claudia Sheinbaum, the current president of Mexico, was born on 24 June 1962 in Mexico City to a Mexican Jewish family. Her father, Carlos Sheinbaum Yoselevitz, was an Ashkenazi Jew of Lithuanian descent, and her mother, Annie Pardo Cemo, was Sephardi, with roots in Bulgaria. Sheinbaum's grandparents fled Europe in the early 20th century, finding refuge in Mexico. Sheinbaum has two siblings, including an older brother, Julio, who is a physicist and physical oceanography researcher.
Sheinbaum herself does not practice any religion, although she has acknowledged her culturally Jewish upbringing. She has, however, been criticized for downplaying her Jewish heritage during her political career, particularly during her presidential campaign, where she wore Catholic symbols and skirts adorned with the image of the Virgin Guadalupe to appeal to the predominantly Catholic electorate in Mexico.
Despite her Jewish ancestry, Sheinbaum has rarely spoken publicly about it, even in the face of antisemitic prejudice and conspiracy theories alleging that she was born in Bulgaria. Sheinbaum has countered such attacks with nationalist rhetoric, asserting her Mexican identity.
Sheinbaum's election as Mexico's first female president was a landmark moment, breaking barriers as a woman and as a Jew in a country with a significant Catholic population. Her victory inspired pride and hope within the Jewish community, and many hoped that she would embrace her Jewish identity to foster greater understanding and solidarity in Mexican society.
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Sheinbaum's parents and grandparents
Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo was born on 24 June 1962 in Mexico City, within a Mexican Jewish family. Her father, Carlos Sheinbaum Yoselevitz, was a chemical engineer and businessman who passed away in 2013. Her paternal grandfather, Chone Juan Sheinbaum Abramovitz, was an Ashkenazi Jew who emigrated from Lithuania to Mexico in 1928. He worked as a jewelry merchant and was a member of the Mexican Communist Party. Claudia's paternal grandmother was also exiled from Lithuania for economic and racial reasons in the 1920s.
Claudia's mother, Annie Pardo Cemo, is a biologist and professor emeritus at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM). She is from a Sephardi Jewish family that fled Bulgaria during World War II to escape persecution. Annie's parents, Claudia's maternal grandparents, initially escaped to Cuba, but they eventually reunited with their youngest son in Mexico City, where they started a family.
Both of Claudia's parents grew up in Mexico and were actively involved in leftist political movements during the 1960s, including protests, workers' movements, and student uprisings. They passed on their values to Claudia from an early age.
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Sheinbaum's career and political affiliations
Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo is a Mexican politician, energy and climate change scientist, and academic. She was born in Mexico City on June 24, 1962, and came from a Mexican Jewish family. Her father, Carlos Sheinbaum Yoselevitz, was of Ashkenazi Jewish descent, with her paternal grandfather emigrating from Lithuania in 1928. Her mother, Annie Pardo Cemo, was from a Sephardi Jewish family that fled to Mexico from Bulgaria during World War II to escape persecution. Sheinbaum's parents were actively involved in Mexican left-wing politics during the 1960s.
Sheinbaum studied physics at the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), obtaining her bachelor's degree in 1989. She later earned a master's degree in 1994 and a Ph.D. in energy engineering in 1995. During her time at UNAM, she was a member of the University Student Council and helped found the student-led Revolutionary Democratic Party in 1998.
Sheinbaum first entered politics in 2000, serving as the Secretary of the Environment for Mexico City under Andrés Manuel López Obrador's administration. She held this position until 2006, during which she oversaw the introduction of the Metrobús, a bus rapid transit system, and the construction of the second story of Mexico City's ring road. After Obrador's narrow loss in the 2006 presidential election, she joined his team to investigate alleged electoral fraud. She was also part of his cabinet for the 2012 presidential election.
In 2014, Sheinbaum joined Obrador's new political party, the National Regeneration Movement (Morena). From 2015 to 2017, she served as the mayor of Tlalpan, Mexico City's largest borough. In 2018, she was one of seven candidates for mayor of Mexico City and won with approximately 50% of the vote, becoming the first woman to be elected to the role. As mayor, she promoted clean energy and supported LGBTQ rights.
On December 5, 2018, Sheinbaum was inaugurated as Mexico City's head of government, becoming the first elected female head of government. Her administration was characterized by a strong relationship with President López Obrador. She resigned from this position in June 2023 to participate in the internal selection for the Morena-led coalition ahead of the 2024 presidential election.
On October 1, 2024, Sheinbaum was sworn in as the 66th president of Mexico, becoming the country's first female president and the first with a Jewish background. Her political party, Morena, secured majorities in both houses of Congress. As president, she has enacted constitutional reforms, including mandating that the minimum wage increase above the rate of inflation.
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Sheinbaum's relationship with Catholicism
Claudia Sheinbaum, the current president of Mexico, was born into a Mexican Jewish family. Her father, Carlos Sheinbaum Yoselevitz, was of Ashkenazi Jewish descent, with paternal grandparents who fled Lithuania to Mexico in the 1920s. Her mother, Annie Pardo Cemo, is from a Sephardi Jewish family that escaped persecution in Bulgaria during World War II. Despite her Jewish heritage, Sheinbaum has rarely spoken about it publicly and has even been accused of downplaying it. She has actively worn Catholic symbols, such as a rosary necklace and skirts adorned with the Virgin Guadalupe, possibly to appeal to the majority-Catholic electorate in Mexico.
Sheinbaum's approach to her Jewish identity has been a source of debate among Mexican Jews. Some have expressed disappointment in her reluctance to publicly embrace her heritage, while others understand the political considerations that may be at play. Sheinbaum has faced antisemitism and accusations of being "foreign" due to her Jewish background. Her predecessor, Vicente Fox, referred to her as a "Bulgarian Jew," implying that she was not truly Mexican.
Despite the criticism, Sheinbaum has broken barriers by becoming Mexico's first female president and the first with a Jewish background. She has a strong relationship with the federal government and President López Obrador, although she has maintained a distinct approach on certain issues, such as managing the COVID-19 pandemic, drawing on her scientific background.
In conclusion, while Sheinbaum was born and raised in a Jewish family, her relationship with Catholicism is complex and influenced by political considerations. She has navigated her Jewish identity cautiously in a country with a significant Catholic population and a history of antisemitism.
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Mexico's religious demographics
Claudia Sheinbaum, the current president of Mexico, was born in Mexico City in 1962 to a Mexican Jewish family. Her father, Carlos Sheinbaum Yoselevitz, was of Ashkenazi Jewish descent, with paternal grandparents who fled Lithuania to Mexico in the 1920s. Her mother, Annie Pardo Cemo, is from a Sephardi Jewish family that escaped persecution in Bulgaria during World War II. Despite her Jewish heritage, Sheinbaum rarely discusses it publicly and has even been accused of downplaying it, possibly to appeal to Mexico's majority-Catholic population.
Mexico is a secular country that guarantees freedom of religion in its constitution. While it is still predominantly Catholic, the number of Catholic followers has been declining in recent decades. According to the 2020 census, Catholics made up 77.7% of the population, a drop of more than 10 percentage points in the last 20 years. This decline can be attributed to the growth of other Christian denominations, such as various Protestant churches, Jehovah's Witnesses, and Mormonism. Mexico's religious landscape is also diverse, with the presence of non-Christian religions like Judaism, Islam, and religions with African and Indigenous roots.
Christianity is the predominant religion in Mexico, comprising 91.3% of the population. Major festivities in the country celebrate Christian holidays such as Epiphany, All Saints' Day, All Souls' Day or Day of the Dead, and the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Christmas is a national holiday, and Easter and Christmas are times when schools send students on vacation.
The Mexican Constitution of 1917 imposed limitations on the Catholic Church and allowed state intrusion into religious matters. However, in 1992, the constitution was amended to lift almost all restrictions on religions, granting legal status to all religious groups and conceding them limited property rights.
In summary, while Mexico is predominantly Catholic, the country has a diverse religious landscape, and its constitution protects the right to religious freedom for all its citizens.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, Claudia Sheinbaum is Jewish. She was born to a Mexican Jewish family and has Ashkenazi and Sephardi Jewish heritage.
Claudia Sheinbaum has stated that she does not practice any religion and was raised without religion, although she has a cultural connection to Jewish identity and celebrated Jewish holidays with her grandparents.
Claudia Sheinbaum kept her Jewish identity largely under wraps during her election campaign and even downplayed it, possibly to appeal to the majority of Catholic voters in Mexico. She has also actively rejected being identified as a member of the Jewish community.
Yes, Claudia Sheinbaum is the first Jewish president of Mexico. She is also the first female president in Mexico's 200 years of independence.
