Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum Groped In Public, Demands Criminalisation of Sexual Harassment Nationwide | VIDEO | World News
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said Wednesday that she would file criminal charges against a man who tried to publicly grope her and use the attack as a flashpoint to demand that sexual harassment be made a criminal offense nationwide.
The incident occurred during a shocking moment captured on camera on Tuesday as the country’s first female president walked to an event near the presidential palace, greeting people and shaking hands.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum was sexually assaulted while interacting with passersby on the streets of Mexico City on Tuesday. pic.twitter.com/8K2u1XMJyl— FRANCE 24 English (@France24_en) November 5, 2025
Add Zee News as Preferred Source
Incident and Security Questions
In the video, a drunk-looking man can be seen approaching Sheinbaum from behind, wrapping his arm around Sheinbaum’s shoulder, touching her hip and chest with his other hand and trying to kiss her neck.
Security Response: A member of the presidential security team eventually removed the man, but critics on social media quickly raised questions about the security team’s slow response time, given the potential risk to the head of state.
Cool as ever, Sheinbaum didn’t let the attack get the better of him, appearing to gently push the man’s hands away and posing for a brief photo with him until it was over. He later said he had no idea the seriousness of the incident until he saw their video.
The man was later arrested. The complaint against him was filed with the prosecutor’s office in Mexico City, where sexual harassment is already punishable by law.
Call for Justice for All Women:
Mayor Sheinbaum, who has maintained a popular, low-security style of public interaction similar to her predecessor, said she decided to file a police report when she learned the man continued to harass other women nearby.
She emphasized that the incident reflects the daily reality of millions of Mexican women. According to him:
“The way I see it, 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 the women in our country?”
He reported that he himself suffered similar abuse as a teenager.
Campaign to Federalize Harassment Laws
The incident highlighted one of the starkest legal inconsistencies in Mexico: The country’s 32 federal districts have their own criminal codes, and not all of them currently include criminal penalties for sexual harassment.
Sheinbaum promises immediate action: “The government will review whether this behavior is a crime in all states, because it has to be a crime, and we will launch a campaign.”
The attack reignited a national debate about entrenched “macho attitudes” that allow women’s personal space to be violated.
According to UN Women data, approximately 70 percent of Mexican women aged 15 and over experience at least one incident of sexual harassment in their lives.
READ ALSO | Bihar Election 2025 Phase 1 Voting: EVM Guide, Identity Proofs and Voting Guidelines
