Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum on Wednesday urged that sexual harassment be made a criminal offence across all Mexican states, following an incident in which a man groped and attempted to kiss her while she was greeting supporters on the street.
The episode took place on Tuesday near the presidential palace, where Sheinbaum was walking to an event, stopping to shake hands and pose for photos, according to videos circulating on social media.
Man Approached From Behind, Groped President
Footage shows a man approaching Sheinbaum from behind, putting his arm around her shoulder, touching her hip and chest, and attempting to kiss her neck. Members of her security detail quickly intervened and pulled him away. The man appeared to be intoxicated, according to witnesses.
Authorities later confirmed that the man had been arrested and that a formal complaint had been filed with the prosecutor’s office in Mexico City, where sexual harassment is punishable by law.
‘If They Do This To The President, What About Other Women?’
Explaining her decision to lodge a police complaint, Sheinbaum who is Mexico’s first female president, said she acted after learning the man continued to harass other women.
“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 during her morning press conference.
Sheinbaum added that her government would review whether such acts are treated as criminal offences in all federal districts, stressing, “It should be a criminal offence, and we are going to launch a campaign.”
Incident Prompts Security, Social Debate
The 32 federal districts in Mexico each have their own criminal code, and not all currently impose criminal penalties for sexual harassment.
Despite the assault, Sheinbaum was seen responding calmly in the moment – posing for a photo with the man and patting him on the back. “This person approached me completely drunk, I don’t know if he was on drugs,” she later said. “It wasn’t until I saw the videos that I realised what had really happened.”
The incident has sparked criticism of the presidential security team and renewed debate over pervasive “macho” attitudes that normalise harassment and physical intrusion against women in public spaces.
Widespread Harassment Across Mexico
According to data from UN Women, around 70 per cent of Mexican women aged 15 and older have experienced at least one incident of sexual harassment in their lifetime.
Sheinbaum, who acknowledged facing similar behaviour in her youth, said her administration’s response would aim to ensure that such acts are treated with uniform seriousness nationwide.
