What should have been a brief five-minute walk from Mexico’s National Palace to the Education Ministry turned into a disturbing viral moment for Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum after a drunk man appeared to grope her in public.
Widely circulated footage shows the man approaching the Mexican President, putting his arm around her, attempting to kiss her, and then trying to grab her breasts from behind before being pushed away by an officer. Mexico City Mayor Clara Brugada confirmed that the man has been arrested.
Mexican President Sheinbaum condemned the harassment at her daily press briefing and confirmed she is pressing charges.
“We decided to walk. Many people greeted us along the way without any problems until this totally drunk person approached us,” she said.
The incident has sparked questions over the president’s security, particularly how the man was able to get so close without immediate intervention. Sheinbaum, like her predecessor Andrés Manuel López Obrador, travels with minimal security and often keeps close contact with the public. Her security detail was not visibly near her when the man approached, and she has dismissed calls to increase her protection.
Some Mexicans, however, disagree with her stance.
“What happened was wrong, and President Sheinbaum trusts people too much. There are a lot of bad people out there,” said cleaning worker Rosa Rosas.
Others have raised suspicions about the encounter.
“She has security, and it would be very painful and embarrassing if they used the situation to divert attention from important issues,” said social worker Emeline Martinez.
Still, the brief clip has amplified Mexico’s pervasive problem of harassment and violence against women. UN data shows that around 70 percent of Mexican women aged 15 and over experience at least one incident of sexual harassment in their lives.
Flower worker Melissa Escutia said the incident underscores the insecurity women face in a country long affected by machismo and gender-based violence.
“Not even as president is she free from the harassment we women face every day. It’s incredible that men just can’t control themselves,” she said.
Feminist groups have long criticised Sheinbaum for not doing enough to address violence against women, noting low prosecution rates for femicides. Mexico recorded 821 femicides in 2024, with 501 reported through September this year—figures activists say underestimate the true scale.
Mexican President Sheinbaum urged Mexican states to review their laws to make reporting assaults easier, emphasising her commitment to defending women nationwide.
“Sexual harassment is not a criminal offense in all states, but it is in Mexico City. If I don’t report it, what message does that send? If they can do this to the President, what will happen to all the young women in our country?” (SBS)
