Andrés Manuel López Obrador (more commonly known by his initials, Amlo) will step down from Mexico’s presidency on September 30, making way for his protégée and the country’s first female president, Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo.
Considered a “messianic” leader by some, the nation’s grandpa by others, and “a danger for Mexico” by his detractors, Amlo is a truly polarising figure. Nevertheless, his standout legacy may be more visual than political.
Amlo is a recurring star of documentary cinema and a leading YouTuber, surpassing even Donald Trump by number of subscribers. So, despite his insistence that he will “retire completely from politics” when his term ends, fears remain that his outsized representation will overshadow Sheinbaum’s government.
