Poverty and domestic abuse: The hard life of Xochitl Galvez, the politician looking to be Mexico's first woman president

Growing up in a poor rural town, Xochitl Galvez sold homemade candy to help her family. Today, she is a successful entrepreneur aiming to become Mexico’s first woman president. At 61, Galvez is a centre-right opposition senator and self-made businesswoman with Indigenous roots. She often reminisces about her humble beginnings in Tepatepec, a small town in Hidalgo.

Challenging childhood

Her childhood, marked by domestic violence and an alcoholic father, shaped her resilience. “They came to live here because they were struggling financially,” Galvez’s cousin Norma Angelica Ruiz shared during a tour of the house where the politician once lived with her grandparents, parents, and siblings. Photos of Galvez as a teenager still adorn the walls. “Since there was no refrigerator, the famous candies were hung in baskets up there on those rafters,” said Ruiz, a dentist.

A leader since young age

At the time, the town only had a primary school, so Galvez travelled long distances for her education. Ruiz remembers her as a studious child who learned to sew in high school and then taught the skill to women in disadvantaged communities. However, in Tepatepec, where President

Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador’s party has strong support, not everyone buys into her rags-to-riches story. “It’s a lie that they were so poor. It’s one of the biggest houses in town,” said local merchant Dalila Garcia.

Indigenous heritage

Galvez, born to an Indigenous Otomi father and mixed-race mother, speaks proudly of her heritage. Her first name means “flower” in Nahuatl, and her background distinguishes her from the traditional conservative opposition. She wears traditional clothing, uses colloquial language peppered with swear words, and is known for biking around Mexico City.

Political career and independence

Between 2015 and 2018, Galvez served as mayor of a Mexico City district before winning a seat in the upper house of Congress. “I follow my own convictions… Nobody controls me – not even my husband,” she frequently asserts to emphasize her independence.

Aligned with the conservative opposition now, Galvez has a record of supporting liberal causes like abortion and LGBTQ rights, and even endorsing some of Lopez Obrador’s social welfare programs. Yet, she criticises his security strategy, stating that “ovaries are needed” to confront organised crime. In a direct message to Lopez Obrador, she declared, “Machos like you are afraid of an independent and intelligent woman.”

Rise to prominence

After leaving Tepatepec at 17, Galvez studied at the prestigious National Autonomous University of Mexico and founded a successful high-tech company. In 2000, President Vicente Fox appointed her to manage policies for Indigenous peoples. As a senator, the mother-of-two once donned a dinosaur costume in Congress to criticize the government.

Presidential campaign

In a series of presidential debates, Galvez launched sharp attacks against ruling party candidate Claudia Sheinbaum, calling her an “ice lady” and a “narco-candidate.” She pointedly told Sheinbaum, “While you danced ballet at the age of 10, I had to work.” Despite her fiery performance, Galvez trails Sheinbaum by over 20 points in polls. Even those close to Galvez acknowledge her low popularity in Tepatepec, where Sheinbaum has more visible support. “In this town, if you’re successful, people are suspicious of you,” Ruiz observed.

With inputs from agencies