Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum Files Charges After Street Groping, Calls for Stronger Harassment Laws

In a disturbing incident that has ignited a nationwide conversation on women’s safety, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has filed criminal charges against a man who groped her during a public appearance near the National Palace in Mexico City.

The 63-year-old president, the first woman ever to hold Mexico’s highest office, was greeting supporters when a visibly drunk man approached her from behind, attempting to kiss her neck and touching her chest and hip before being restrained. The shocking moment, caught on video, quickly went viral, prompting outrage across Mexico and abroad.

‘If It Happens to the President, What Happens to Other Women?’

Speaking at her regular morning press conference, Claudia Sheinbaum said she decided to press charges not only for herself but for all Mexican women who face similar assaults daily. “If I don’t file a complaint, what becomes of other Mexican women? If this happens to the president, what will happen to all the women in our country?” she said.

Sheinbaum confirmed that the man had been arrested and that she intends to review Mexico’s sexual harassment laws, calling for it to be made a nationwide criminal offense.

Mexico’s Troubling Record on Women’s Safety

The incident has cast a harsh light on Mexico’s longstanding struggle with gender-based violence. According to UN data, 70% of Mexican women aged 15 and over have experienced sexual harassment, and an average of 10 women are murdered daily, with 98% of femicides going unpunished.

Feminist commentators say the attack on Claudia Sheinbaum underscores a pervasive culture of machismo and impunity. “Even if you’re the president, any man believes he has the right to touch you,” journalist Catalina Ruiz-Navarro told Volcánicas. “This is what patriarchy looks like.”

Claudia Sheinbaum, who has faced sexist scrutiny since her election, said the incident was “something many women experience worldwide” and pledged a campaign to strengthen legal protections across all 32 Mexican states.

 

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Security Questions Emerge — But Sheinbaum Refuses to Distance Herself

The episode has also reignited debate over presidential security. Video footage showed that Sheinbaum’s security detail was not immediately nearby, leading to criticism of her decision to maintain close public contact — a practice inherited from her predecessor, Andrés Manuel López Obrador.

Despite the risk, Claudia Sheinbaum rejected calls for tighter security. “We cannot distance ourselves from the people,” she said. “That would be to deny where we come from and who we are.”

A Defining Moment for Women’s Rights in Mexico

For many, Sheinbaum’s decision to press charges represents more than a personal response — it’s a symbolic act of leadership in a country struggling with gender violence. Her promise to criminalize sexual harassment nationwide could mark a turning point in Mexico’s fight for women’s rights and equality.

As one activist wrote on social media: “If even the president must say ‘no means no,’ it’s time the entire nation listens.”