Ifigenia Martínez, pioneer of the Mexican left, passes away

The president of the Chamber of Deputies and pioneer of the Mexican left, Ifigenia Martinez, died Saturday at the age of 94, informed the coordinator of the ruling Morena party's bench in San Lazaro, Ricardo Monreal Avila.

“It is with deep sadness that I communicate the sensitive passing of teacher Ifigenia Martínez y Hernández, president of the Chamber of Deputies, information confirmed to me by her family. May she rest in peace, such an extraordinary woman, and may her loved ones find prompt resignation,” Monreal revealed in his social network X account.

Mexico's Mayor Claudia Sheinbaum wrote on the same network: “On June 2 I voted for Ifigenia Martinez, a consistent woman of convictions. On October 1 I received the presidential sash from her hands. Today she left us. I send her family, colleagues and friends all my love and solidarity. Farewell dear teacher Ifigenia”.

It is with deep sadness that I inform you of the death of Mrs. Ifigenia Martinez y Hernandez, President of the Chamber of Deputies, information confirmed to me by her family. May she rest in peace such an extraordinary woman and may her loved ones find prompt resignation pic.twitter.com/o8ipnYoDJx

- Ricardo Monreal A. (@RicardoMonrealA) October 6, 2024
Martínez, who was born on June 16, 1930, was one of the emblematic fighters of the Mexican left, and was a founder of the National Regeneration Movement (Morena) party, which has won the country's presidency with Andrés Manuel López Obrador (2018-2024) and with Sheinbaum (2024-2030).

The congresswoman had a PhD in Economics from the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) and was the first Mexican to obtain a master's degree in Economics from Harvard University.

On June 2, I voted for Ifigenia Martinez, a woman of conviction and consistency. On October 1st I received the presidential sash from her hands. Today she left us. I send her family, colleagues and friends all my love and solidarity. Farewell dear teacher Ifigenia. pic.twitter.com/7EsDkT2S8s

- Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo (@Claudiashein) October 6, 2024
Likewise, she was among the first economists to make studies on economic and social inequality in Mexico.

Martínez, in her struggle for the democratization of Mexico, was one of the leaders of the so-called “democratic current” led by former presidential candidate Cuauhtémoc Cárdenas in 1988, and later gave way to the creation of the Party of the Democratic Revolution (PRD).

His last public appearance took place last Tuesday, when he imposed the presidential sash on Claudia Sheinbaum, in her capacity as president of the Directive Table of the Chamber of Deputies.