MEXICO CITY – Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum has said she will press charges against a man who groped her during a public event in Mexico City, calling the incident a reflection of the widespread gender-based violence and harassment faced by women across the country.
Footage circulating on social media shows Sheinbaum speaking to supporters near the National Palace on Tuesday when a man approached her from behind, attempting to kiss her neck and touch her inappropriately.
The visibly startled president moved away immediately as a member of her security team intervened. Authorities later confirmed that the man had been arrested.
At a press conference on Wednesday, Sheinbaum said she decided to take legal action to set an example and stand in solidarity with Mexican women who face daily harassment.
“My view is, if I don’t file a complaint, what will happen to other Mexican women? If they do this to the president, what will happen to all women in our country?” she said. “I decided to press charges because this is something I experienced as a woman — but that we, as women, experience across the country. A line must be drawn.”
Sheinbaum added that the suspect had allegedly harassed other women in the crowd, further justifying her decision to pursue the case.
Women’s rights groups have condemned the assault, describing it as a stark reminder of Mexico’s entrenched machismo culture — where even the country’s highest-ranking woman is not immune from harassment.
Mexico continues to grapple with high levels of gender-based violence, including femicide. Rights groups say up to 98% of gender-related murders go unpunished, despite Sheinbaum’s campaign pledge to tackle the crisis.
The incident has also reignited debate over the president’s close-contact approach with the public.
Like her predecessor, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, Sheinbaum often mingles with supporters at street events — a hallmark of her populist style but one that has occasionally raised security concerns.
However, Sheinbaum said she will not alter her practice of engaging directly with citizens.
The groping incident came just days after the killing of Carlos Manzo, the mayor of Uruapan in the violence-ridden state of Michoacán, who had recently appealed to the federal government for help against drug cartels.
At least 35 candidates were killed in the lead-up to Mexico’s 2024 general election, one of the deadliest political seasons in modern Mexican history.
Since taking office, Sheinbaum has made some progress in strengthening security operations, particularly targeting fentanyl trafficking, a top concern for her U.S. counterpart, President Donald Trump.
