AMLO Just Made History by Mentioning LGBTs in His First Speech as Mexico’s President

Yesterday saw Mexico’s elections take place, and in addition to electing the new President of the Republic, the nation voted to elect 500 members of congress, 128 senators, eight state governors (in the states of Chiapas, Guanajuato, Jalisco, Morelos, Puebla, Tabasco, Veracruz and Yucatan), the Head of Government of Mexico City and local and federal offices (Municipal Presidents and City Mayors, among others). The biggest news to come out of yesterday was definitely the announcement of Andrés Manuel López Obrador (often referred to as “AMLO”) as the new president of Mexico.

Lorenzo Córdova Vianello, President of the INE (National Electoral Institute), issued a statement about the election’s results, in which he highlighted that the percentage of citizen participation in the election is estimated to be between 62.9–63.8% of those citizens registered (89,123,355 Mexicans).

After mentioning the percentage of people who voted, Córdova Vianello presented the estimated results of Mexico’s presidential election. Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO), of the coalition Juntos Haremos Historia, took first place with 53%. Ricardo Anaya of the coalition Por México al Frente took 22.1–22.8% of the vote. José Antonio Meade of the coalition Todos por México took 15.7–16.3% of the vote, and Jaime Rodríguez Calderón, an independent candidate, took 5.3–5.5% of the vote.

With these results, Córdova Vianello confirmed the victory of AMLO.

After being named the new president of Mexico, AMLO received congratulations via Twitter from various world leaders, incluing Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin, Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro and Justin Trudeau.

Congratulations to Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador on becoming the next President of Mexico. I look very much forward to working with him. There is much to be done that will benefit both the United States and Mexico!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 2, 2018

Vladimir Putin congratulated Andrés Manuel López Obrador on his victory in Mexico’s presidential election

— President of Russia (@KremlinRussia_E) July 2, 2018

Felicito al hermano pueblo mexicano y a su presidente electo, @lopezobrador_. Que se abran las anchas alamedas de soberanía y amistad de nuestros pueblos. Con él triunfa la verdad por encima de la mentira y se renueva la esperanza de la Patria Grande.

— Nicolás Maduro (@NicolasMaduro) July 2, 2018

Please read my statement on the results of the Mexican presidential election: https://t.co/vJRGjOpy1t

— Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) July 2, 2018

AMLO gave his first speech outside the Hilton Hotel Reforma in Mexico City, where hundreds of people were waiting for him. “There will be freedom for business, freedom of expression, association and belief,” he said. “All individual and social freedoms will be guaranteed, as well as the citizen and political rights enshrined in our constitution.”

In his speech AMLO emphasized that he will represent everyone, including LGBT people, making the speech a truly historic event, as it’s the first time LGBT people have been mentioned in a Mexican president’s first public speech.

“The state will stop being a committee at the service of a minority and will represent all Mexicans: rich and poor, rural and urban dwellers, migrants, believers and non-believers, human beings of all currents of thought and of all sexual preferences. We will listen to everyone, we will attend to everyone. We will respect everyone, but we will give preference to the most humble and the forgotten, especially the indigenous peoples of Mexico.”

Here you can see the first speech by AMLO after winning the presidency of Mexico:

What do you think about the results of the elections in Mexico? 

Featured image by Getty Images