MEXICO CITY, Mexico - The former Mayor of Mexico City and left-wing populist, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, has clinched a decisive victory in the Mexican Presidential election.

The historic vote in the country, which came after a months-long bloody campaigning process that saw more than 130 candidates and political workers being killed since September, led Mexicans to vote for change. 

Vowing to tackle corruption head-on, 64-year-old Obrador, was the runner-up in the last two presidential elections and in his third bid for the presidency, he scored a landslide victory on Sunday, winning between 53 percent and 53.8 percent of the votes.

Just as he promised, Obrador's victory has managed to shatter the dominance of the two political parties that have governed Mexico for nearly a century - the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) and the National Action Party (PAN).

He had vowed to end the reign of the two parties which he said were part of the same "mafia of power," and resolved to improve wages and pensions by stamping out rampant abuses by the state and the political and business elites.

On Monday, Obrador claimed victory and called for reconciliation after what he called a "historic day."

According to Mexico's electoral commission, preliminary results showed Obrador had secured a landslide win in Sunday's election and was estimated to have received over 53 percent of the vote - which authorities said was more than double the total of his closest rival.

Late on Sunday, addressing a crowd of jubilant supporters at an event in Mexico City, Obrador, who is known by his initials AMLO, said, "Today, they have recognized our victory."

He vowed that profound change is coming, but added that individual and property rights will be guaranteed. 

He also promised respect for the autonomy of the Bank of Mexico and said his government will maintain financial and fiscal discipline.

Further, Obrador said that while contracts obtained under energy reforms will be scrutinized for any corruption or illegality, but there will be no confiscation or expropriation of property.

According to authorities, the leftist had scored a remarkable mandate not seen in the country for many years.

In a televised message to the nation, President Enrique Pena Nieto said that he had congratulated Obrador and pledged to help him carry out an orderly transition.

Further, Lorenzo Cordova, Director of the National Electoral Institute announced in a televised address late on Sunday that Obrador's vote count was projected to be between 53 percent and 53.8 percent.

He pointed out that this compares to 22.1 percent to 22.8 percent for conservative Ricardo Anaya and 15.7 percent to 16.3 percent for Jose Antonio Meade of the ruling Institutional Revolution Party.

Meanwhile, Independent candidate Jaime "El Bronco" Rodriguez was said to be getting between 5.3 percent and 5.5 percent.

Following declaration of preliminary results, U.S. President Donald Trump sent his congratulations to Obrador and tweeted, "I look very much forward to working with him. There is much to be done that will benefit both the United States and Mexico!"

Despite Obrador's consistent double-digit leads over other candidates for months, experts have been worried since he is known for his characteristic traits that are very much like those Trump is known for - his impulsive and nationalistic tendencies. 

They feared that Obrador's victory could put the anti-Trump populist in power in Mexico, possibly paving the way for a more confrontational phase in U.S.-Mexico relations.

Even during his election campaigning, Obrador repeatedly reiterated his goal of standing up to Trump and even published a book called 'Oye, Trump" which means 'Listen up, Trump.'

Then, after Trump was elected in the 2016 U.S. Presidential Election, Obrador reportedly travelled to America and has since then, condemned Trump's plans to build a border wall and "his attempts to persecute migrant workers."

At home, he has targeted increasing violence, which is one of the biggest failures of the outgoing Mexican President Nieto's ruling PRI party.

His narrative of social change, increased pensions for the elderly, educational grants for Mexico's youth and additional support for farmers struck a chord not only with the country's voters, who have witnessed various administrations over the last few decades, but also with millennials, who comprised nearly half of the 89 million eligible voters in the current election.

Further, nearly 13 million millennials were set to vote for the first time on Sunday.

Millennials were expected to play a key role in defining the country's future and are now said to have contributed to reshaping Latin America's second largest economy.

And even though Obrador's victory has filled millions of Mexicans with hope and the nation's elites with trepidation, experts are wondering how the firebrand leader will govern  in a country that has witnessed unyielding violence of the drug war and more homicides last year than any time in the last two decades.