By Deborah Nnamdi
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has called for sexual harassment to be made a criminal offense across all states in the country after a man groped and attempted to kiss her in public.
The incident occurred on Tuesday near the presidential palace as Sheinbaum, Mexico’s first female president, walked to an event while greeting supporters. Videos circulating on social media showed a man approaching her from behind, placing his arm around her shoulder, and touching her hip and chest before trying to kiss her neck.
A member of the presidential security team quickly intervened and pulled the man away. Authorities later confirmed that the suspect, who appeared intoxicated, had been arrested.
Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, Sheinbaum said she decided to file a police complaint after learning that the same man had harassed 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.
Sheinbaum announced that her administration would review whether sexual harassment is recognized as a criminal offense in all 32 federal districts, pledging to launch a national campaign to strengthen legal protections for women.
“It should be a criminal offense everywhere,” she said, recalling that she had experienced similar harassment as a young woman.
Despite the assault, Sheinbaum initially treated the man calmly, even agreeing to take a photo with him before realizing the extent of his actions after reviewing the videos.
“This person approached me completely drunk. It wasn’t until I saw the footage that I realized what had really happened,” she explained.
The incident has sparked public outrage, drawing criticism of the president’s security detail and renewed condemnation of machismo culture that normalizes harassment of women.
According to UN Women, about 70 percent of Mexican women aged 15 and older have experienced at least one incident of sexual harassment.
The case against the suspect has been filed with the Mexico City prosecutor’s office, where sexual harassment is punishable by law.
